Overview
Ranmasu Uyana, meaning “Golden Fish Park,” is a beautifully designed ancient royal garden located within the historic city of Anuradhapura. Constructed during the Anuradhapura Kingdom, the park served as a recreational retreat for royalty and nobility, featuring ornamental ponds, bathing pools, pavilions, and landscaped gardens.
Covering approximately forty acres, Ranmasu Uyana is considered one of the oldest surviving pleasure gardens in Sri Lanka. Ancient stone structures, water channels, bathing tanks, and decorative carvings reveal the advanced engineering and aesthetic sophistication of the kingdom’s architects. The garden’s strategic location between Tissa Wewa and Isurumuniya Temple provided both scenic beauty and a reliable water supply for royal leisure activities.
The site’s greatest mystery is the famous Sakwala Chakraya, a circular rock carving etched into a granite surface. Measuring nearly two metres in diameter, the carving contains concentric circles, geometric patterns, symbols, and depictions that have fascinated historians, archaeologists, and researchers for decades.
The name “Sakwala Chakraya” roughly translates to “Wheel of the Universe” or “Cosmic Circle.” While scholars generally believe it may represent a cosmological diagram reflecting ancient Buddhist concepts of the universe, various alternative theories have emerged over the years. Some suggest it functioned as a map, meditation aid, or symbolic representation of celestial realms. Despite extensive study, its exact purpose remains unknown, adding to its enduring fascination.
Visitors exploring Ranmasu Uyana can admire the ancient bathing pools, stone seats, meditation platforms, and beautifully preserved water management systems while enjoying a peaceful atmosphere away from the busier sacred sites. The combination of archaeological significance, royal history, and mystery makes the garden one of Anuradhapura’s hidden gems.
For history enthusiasts, photographers, and travellers interested in ancient civilizations, Ranmasu Uyana offers a unique opportunity to experience a lesser-known aspect of Sri Lanka’s remarkable heritage.
