This is envisaged as the 1st Bamboo garden and, eco center in Sri Lanka. Una Arana museum is a part of the eco-friendly tourism of Sri Lanka. It is a step to the environmental conservation. It was opened in 2000 with a single bamboo tree. The garden is located at Arukwatte, Padukka in Sri Lanka. Though it is an information center it can be used to spend your leisure time under the shade of these huge Bamboo bushes. The garden inherited from Mr. Chandana’s parents covers an area about 100 perch. The owner of this garden is Mr. Chandana Maitige. He is a creative and well-experienced person in this Bamboo related productions. He wants to promote organic free productions rather than Polythene and Plastic. He says that the society should be motivated to reject such kinds of unsustainable uses.
He doesn’t expect an entry fee or any other fee to enter the museum. Household types of equipment, agricultural tools and miscellaneous instruments made of Bamboo are exhibited in the museum. Mr. Chandana’s prime ambition is to build an eco-friendly society and save the environment. His dedication to building this park is admirable. The garden and the museum are open to everyone. Over 1250 varieties of bamboo have been identified by the Environmentalists from whole around the world. This Una Arana consists about 25 varieties of Bamboo and from those 10 varieties a very special. Thus 8 varieties are indigenous to Sri Lanka. It is hard to believe that two of them can be eaten as a food.
Once he organized an Art Festival to ameliorate traditional Sri Lankan cooking methods. It was named ‘Gemi Hamuwa and Hela Bojun’. All the villagers had gathered to the Una arana and practiced traditional cooking methods. The most important thing is all the foods and cookies were made with types of equipment and tools made of Bamboo. Levaria, Pittu, String hoppers, Weli thalapa and Thala Kerali were cooked. Eventually, Guests said that they are tastier than the usual way. Tourists are invited to visit the place in their free time leisurely. Some rare traditional house holds types of equipment are exhibited in the Una Arana museum. Even from the entrance to the end of the museum is made of an eco-friendly manner. Mr . Chandana had organized another event named ‘Bamboo cannons’ festival. Special cannons made of Bamboo were loaded and set to be shot. Eventually, these Bamboo cannons are made during the New year season of Sri Lanka. Usually, sri Lankans know how to operate these kinds of bamboo cannons. But it was the first time of such kind of a fest to promote this tradition.