A new meditation centre has been opened in 2003 on the land right next to Kanduboda. Lay people can build kuTis and have access to them for life. This might interest to those who may want to meditate but not become a monk. Thirty kuTis have been built already. The head of the new centre is Ven. Pemasiri, a popular and experienced teacher in the Mahasi tradition who is helpful and friendly to foreigners. He used to stay in Kanduboda VMC and then in Lanka Vipassana Centre. (See next entry.) Besides the Mahasi method he also teaches other traditional methods of meditation. The place is mainly for laypeople, but monks do visit and stay here for limited periods. The female yogis and nuns have their own separate area. The facilities are nice and spacious.