Jathika Namal Uyana
Rose Quartz Mountains

HHaving found your way into the Naa forest you will now have a trek of about half a mile or so to get to the famed Rose Quartz Mountains. You will need to wind your way through root laden forest pathways, pass a centuries old temple ruin and climb ever so steadily up to finally get to your destination.

And when you finally reach the foothills of the Rose Quartz Mountains, the first thing you will notice will be the complete lack of thick vegetation, or rather the complete lack of lush Naa trees.

Here and there you will find underbrush dotting this almost lunar like landscape, but for the most part you will be confronted by the rock face of the Rose Quartz Mountain.

And whether you’re going in the dry season or the rainy season, you will need to exercise caution when climbing up the mountain face as it can be slippery in places. All too easily you can cut yourself on loose pieces or jagged outcroppings of Rose Quartz.

Although not particularly steep, the going from here on out can be a little rough especially if you’re not used to so much exertion all at once.

The best thing for those of us not blessed with fitness and carrying a little extra excess baggage is to take frequent rests when climbing to the pinnacle of this particular section of the mountain. It might not seem steep, but there is an incline nevertheless, with the foot path in some places being steep.

There is also the fact that you have only just trekked roughly half a mile or so, and although you might not think it’s that far, your body most certainly will, so remember to take it easy on this portion of your trek.

Remember also to hydrate yourself and rest frequently. This way you will find that you trip to the top of this section of the Rose Quartz Mountain is much more enjoyable and memorable (for the right reasons).

The Mountains

If you look up before you start your climb you will no doubt notice a small construction at the summit with a fairly large sized statue of a seated Buddha within its open confines.

Barely a building, being merely four columns with a roof perched atop it, you will nonetheless be glad of this scant shelter if you make your journey during midday, even if it is a hazy kind of midday.

Once you reach your goal, you will find yourself confronted with a sight that will entrance you and hold you captive by its breathtaking awe.

The Rose Quartz Mountain of the Jathika Namal Uyana might not be the highest mountain in the world, or even in Sri Lanka for that matter, but it can’t be denied that it gives as good a view as any mountaintop.

You will be confronted with a vision of mile upon mile of lush green canopy stretching out to meet the horizon and broken here and there only by the occasional human habitation and lake or two.

If the time is right, you will also find that the Naa trees are in full bloom and creating such a riot of colors that it is almost too much to behold and take in all at once.

Take all the time you want. You made that trek and now you should take the time to enjoy the spectacular scenery.

If you’re standing there puzzled looking for a Rose Quartz mountain, or even a sign that you’re on a big hunk of Rose Quartz, you will need a keen eye to help you out here, because unless you’re a trained geologist, signs of the Rose Quartz won’t be readily evident to your naked eye.

If you’ve ever seen a large hunk of rose quartz you can be assured that the Rose Quartz Mountains themselves don’t look anything like this.

True, you can see a little bit of rose colored hue here and there on the rock surface, but for the most part it will look like any other rock you see, only in larger proportion.

After a good dousing with the rains however, the rosy hue of the Rose Quartz Mountains, are more visible and noticeable to the untrained naked eye.

The Significance of the Mountains

Whether you come for the Naa trees, or for the history, it can’t be denied that beauty of the Rose Quartz mountain range will dominate the scene.

The sheer beauty to be found once you reach the end of your trek will all but steal your breath, (if the climb up hadn’t already done so!). You can also begin to understand how this relatively small piece of mountain range came to gain such significance over the course of time.

Besides being reported as the largest Rose Quartz mountain range in South East Asia, it also has an illustrious history as well as ties to the Taj Mahal. With it said that Rose Quartz from this deposit was used in the decoration of the many motifs and inlays which are even now to be found in the Taj Mahal.

The mountain range itself is thought to be around 500 million years old, and covers an area of about 500 acres. There are roughly about 7 separate peaks to this mountain range, all of which soar to about 180-300m above sea level.

The one which we’ve just described in this trek through the Naa forest, is by no means the highest of the seven, but it does afford you some great views.

A full geological survey of the Rose Quartz Mountain range has been conducted by the Geological Survey & Mines Bureau. A scanned copy of the resulting report in PDF format can be downloaded here (approx 2MB, PDF file) Depending on the browser you are using either click the link to open the PDF document or right click and select the "save as" option.