STORE ROOM
There is a book available near the postal box in the upstairs area of the Sīmā Sālā where you can write down if you need any requisites. Please write your kuṭi number, the date, and what you need. The requested items will be placed in your kuṭi box, usually the following day. Please note that the monastery supplies only the following items for lay practitioners: soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes and razors. Other items can be bought from Pansiyagama or Melsiripura. 4 Communication Facilities
EMAIL
If you need to send an e-mail, type your message in an MS Word, Open Office or Plain text document in the following format: After you have typed the e-mail, you may save it on the email thumb drive (normally hanging outside Ven. Piyaratana’s office door). The email will later be sent from the Na Uyana email account [email protected]. Please inform anyone who wants to email you at this account to include your name in the subject field of the email, so that it can easily be identified. Received emails sent to this account will be printed out and placed in one of the small slots above the postal box in the Sīmā Sālā.
TELEPHONE
To make a local or international call, please go to the office next to the Dāna Sālā. You will need to use the SLT telephone and an SLT passport phonecard in order to make either an international call or a local call. The phonecard can be bought from a local telephone shop in Melsiripua or Kurunegala, or you can order them from www.lankafood.com and they will be delivered via postal mail to Na Uyana. To place a international call, dial 1287, then press 3, then enter the pin code (from the SLT phone card) and finally enter the telephone number you wish to dial. If you need to have someone call you back and they are calling from outside of Sri Lanka, the telephone number in the office is +94 37 337 9036. If you wish to make a local call, dial 1286, then press 3, then enter the pin code (from the SLT phone card) and finally enter the telephone number you wish to dial. Or if you do not have a phonecard and wish to make a local call, you can use the Suntel telephone, after having made the call, please write in the register book (located in the office), your name, the recipient’s name, the recipient’s telephone number and the length of the call. If you need to have someone call you back and they are calling from inside of Sri Lanka, the telephone number in the office is 037 337 9036. For monks only: If you do not have a phonecard and wish to make a local call, you can use the Suntel telephone. After having made the call, please write in the register book (located in the office), your name, the recipient’s name, the recipient’s telephone number and the length of the call.
SENDING POSTAL MAIL
If you wish to send a letter, then please place it in the outbox section of the postal box in the upstairs area of the Sīmā Sālā. For monks, stamps are available from the store room. Please ask Ven. Saṅghasobhana about current international postal rates. Na Uyana postal address: Na Uyana Aranya Senasanaya, Pansiyagama 60554, Sri Lanka
INTERNET
Na Uyana does not provide internet facilities; however, you can go to an Internet Cafe at Melsiripura. 5 To: [email protected] Subject: From [Your name] [Your message here] Main monastery, as seen from the mountain Road to the mountain meditation hall Travel and Visas
TRAVEL
There is a bus station in Pansiyagama village which has buses going every hour to Melisiripura. It is a 30 minute walk to Pansiyagama village and a further 45 minutes bus ride to Melisiripura. From Melsiripura, there are buses going to Kurunegala and Colombo. Monks who do not use money can get special bus coupons which allows monks to travel on government buses (CTB). These coupons can be got from the store room. Please see Ven. Piyaratana to check whether there is a vehicle going to Kurunegala or Colombo on the day you wish to travel.
DIRECTIONS TO NA UYANA
Take the road to Madahapola at the Melsiripura junction (between Kurunegala and Dambulla) on the A6 highway. At the Pansiyagama junction on the Madahapola road, take the road to Galewela. About 500m on this road is the Na Uyana road, which leads to the monastery. By Bus: From the Kurunegala bus station, take the bus to Dambulla and get off at Melsiripura. From Melsiripura, take the bus to Pansiyagama. From Pansiyagama Village, you can either take a three-wheeler (taxi) to Na Uyana or you can walk (around 35 mins). To walk from the bus station at Pansiyagama, take the road going up the small hill which passes a school on your right. After about 500 m, turn to the right, onto a track called Na Uyana Road. Walk about another 500m, then turn to the left, onto a small dirt road. Walk another 700 m and you will see Na Uyana Monastery on your right, just after passing the Bodhi Tree (also on your right hand side). You can ask the villagers for directions at any time. Foreign monks and nuns who visit Na Uyana could be provided with transport from the Colombo airport. Please contact the monastery office prior to making your travel plans. VISAS If you wish to extend your visa past the initial 30-day entry in Sri Lanka, you can apply for a single 3-month extension. If you wish to stay for more than 3 months, you need to apply for visas prior to arrival. Na Uyana can support you with a sponsorship letter. In Sri Lanka, Buddhist monks get a free one year residence visa which needs to be extended annually. You need to have your monk photo in the passport for this. You should apply for your extension at least one week before the expiry date of your current visa. The monastery may be able to assist you with your visa application, depending on circumstances. Please see Ven. Ariyananda or Ven. Piyaratana for more information. Also visit www.immigration.gov.lk.
Health
A doctor of traditional indigenous medicine normally visits Na Uyana once a week. Western-trained doctors also make frequent visits to the monastery. For non-serious complaints, there is a medical room at the back of the gilanhala with Western and Chinese medicines. Please inform Ven Ariyananda or Ven. Piyaratana if you need to take something from this room. There is also a detailed and comprehensive medical book, The Merck Manual, available in the library, which can be used to assist diagnosis of any illness or complaint. For a serious complaint or illness, please see Ven.Ariyananda or Ven. Piyaratana, and they will be able to arrange a visit to a doctor or hospital in Kurunegala.
TEA & REFRESHMENTS
Herbal teas, medicinal tonics and various other drinks are available. Allowable items in the afternoon are butter, ghee, oil, honey and sugar, as well as various teas and medicines. Chocolate, Nestomalt, milk, cheese and non-diary creamers, as well as any other solid food products, are not allowed in the afternoons.
WATER
The water here comes from mountain springs and when tested recently, it was deemed safe to drink. Most people use a ceramic filter to clean the water and remove traces of mud before drinking; some use a cloth filter. Filtered water is located throughout the monastery.
DISEASES AND BODILY AILMENTS
Malaria There is no malaria in this region of Sri Lanka. Dengue Fever There is a very small chance of contracting dengue fever although it is more common in urban areas rather than rural and forested areas. Symptoms include high fever, severe headache and body ache. Rabies There is rabies in Sri Lanka. If you are bitten by a stray dog or cat, a fruit bat or monkey, you will need to go to a local hospital to get an anti-rabies shot. Worms Intestinal pin-worms are common. These harmless creatures are spread through food, particularly raw vegetables, touched by the unwashed hands of an infected person. The pin-worms will go away by themselves within a few days. There are worm pills available if necessary.1
SNAKES
Sri Lanka has many varieties of snakes and and several are very dangerous, notably the Indian cobra, Russell Viper and the Krait. If you are bitten, remain calm and if possible, wash the bite with soap and water. It is important to note the colour, the shape of the head and any other distinguishing features of the snake that bit you. Then slowly make your way down to the area around the Sīmā Sālā and inform someone of what has happened. Antivenom is available in Kurunegala and Galewela. The most common incident of snake bite that occurs at Na Uyana is from the Hump-nosed Viper (Kunakatuva), which is only mildly venomous and can be treated with anti-histamine or a trip to the local snake doctor.
CLIMATE
Na Uyana is situated in the intermediate zone of Sri Lanka, in between the wet zone and the dry zone. It has a comparatively moderate climate with temperatures ranging from 16°C in the cool season (November-January) to 36°C in the hot season (March-April and August-September). Na Uyana is affected by the North-Eastern Monsoon (November-January) and to a lesser extent the South-Western Monsoon (May-June).
DIET
The diet here at Na Uyana is vegetarian and includes fresh fruit and a choice of either brown/red or white rice. Most curries contain moderate amounts of chilli, however there are chilli-free dishes available, especially for foreigners. No special diets are provided. Other Information
SUGGESTED ITEMS TO BRING OR BUY
The following is a list of suggested items that would be useful to bring to Na Uyana: Vitamin and herbal supplements; herbal teas; light, comfortable, easy-to-wash clothing; dental floss; toiletries; towel; talcum/ medicated powder; large umbrella; earplugs; water resistant sandals; torch/flashlight; SLT Phonecards (available from www.lankafood.com); battery-powered alarm clock; mosquito repellent; yoga mat (if you practice yoga); get dental work done before coming. Most everyday-items can be obtained locally, name brands excluded; voltage here is 220V.