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Geden Choeling

Geden Choeling, of the Gelukpa tradition, is the oldest nunnery in Dharamsala and is located in McLeod Ganj, Upper Dharamsala. The nunnery had absorbed a steady stream of refugee nuns since 1975 and now over 125 nuns live and study there - some of whom are older than 60.

The nunnery was started by several nuns who fled the Nechung Ri Nunnery in Tibet after it was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. Those nuns collaborated with others from several other former nunneries in Tibet to build a new nunnery which they called "Geden Choeling," which means "home of the virtuous ones who devote their lives to the Buddha Dharma."

Geden Choeling currently houses a total of 125 nuns of which 75 are attending classes regularly and others are taking on responsibilities in the nunnery. A strong study program is now underway. Currently there are five full-time working teachers teaching Buddhist philosophy, Tibetan, and English. The nunnery has several levels of classes; the highest is midway through Madhyamika (Middle Way) studies, the fourth of the fifth topics the nuns must master to receive the Geshema degree.

In addition to progress on the education front, there has been progress in regard to providing additional housing and classrooms. This year after a long wait for permission to build, a new 4-story building was constructed that provides 16 units of housing for older and sick nuns as well as two new classrooms above the library. The nunnery was able to make much needed repairs including replacing a badly leaking solar tank.