Dramo Nunnery in Nepal
Dramo Nunnery is two days trek from the airstrip in Lukla in Theme Valley of Eastern Nepal. The Theme region is extremely poor due to its remoteness and its relative lack of popularity as a destination for tourism.

There are thirty nuns under the care of young Khari Tenzin Gelek Rinpoche, whose previous incarnation established the nunnery there after fleeing Tibet. Khari Rinpoche visits Dramo for a few months each year to teach Buddhist philosophy and Tibetan language. The rest of the year, their only teacher is one of the senior nuns, who is illiterate. Fortunately a new nun who is literate has recently joined Dramo and she is corresponding with TNP India staff to develop a financial plan for Dramo. The nuns have done some fundraising on their own, facilitating the construction of a new kitchen and classroom. A grant from the Lolwe Foundation of Denmark has greatly improved the living situation and eduational program at Dramo.

Rajpur Sakya Nunnery
In 1994, five Sakya nuns came to Rajpur, India as refugees from the Richen Gang Nunnery in Tibet. They were members of a convent under the guidance of Abbot Loga Rinpoche. Due to changes in the policies of the Chinese government, nuns from outside the local area were no longer allowed to remain at Rinchen Gang, and the authorities ordered many of the nuns to return to their families. Refusing to give up their religious life, these women decided to make the arduous journey to India, and seek the protection of His Holiness the Sakya Trizin. His Holiness welcomed the nuns and helped them to find rental housing and soon they were joined by seven more nuns from Tibet.

Daily Life: Every morning at 6:00 am, the nuns begin the Four Mandala Green Tara Puja. They attend class from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm and after a lunch break, resume their studies from 2:00 - 5:00. They are taught by one of the senior tutors from the Sakya Monastery to oversee their ritual training. From 7:00 - 8:30 they do individual study and mediation, retiring around 9:30.

Nuns Living on Retreat
These nuns are not attached to a specific nunnery, but live on their own. They are interested in meditative retreat rather than in learning higher Buddhist philosophy. Most are scattered about the mountain above Dharamsala. There are old as well as young nuns, some of whom have lived all of their lives in retreat. Some live in Dehra Dun, Manali, and Rewalsar. We support them completely with sponsorship money.

Read the story of a nun living on retreat. Click here to sponsor a nun at Shugsep >>