Jathika Namal Uyana | National Ironwood Garden of Sri Lanka

Jathika Namal Uyana | National Ironwood Garden of Sri Lanka

Jathika Namal Uyana  or National Ironwood Garden (Sinhala: ජාතික නාමල් උයන රෝස තිරිවාණ නිධිය) is a famous ironwood forest and a large rose quartz mountain [about 320 m (1,049.87 ft. amsl)] situated in the village of Ulpathgama at Galkiriyagama in Anuradhapura District, Sri Lanka. The site which was developed under the direction of Vanavasi Rahula Thera is presently maintained under the authority of the Central Cultural Fund. The site The Jathika Namal Uyana is situated in the Highland Series of crystalline rocks close to the Vijayan-Highland Boundary (Mahinda, 2002). The exposed rose quartz deposit which is estimated to be over five hundred million years old is believed to be the largest one of its kind found in the South Asian region (Mahinda, 2002' Wickramaratne & Ranawana, 2002). The site receives the dichotomous climate conditions of dryness associated with the Dry Zone and wet weather associated with the Wet Zone. However, the area including the Jathika Namal Uyana belong…