The Himalayan Nuns
Dzarong Thupten Dongä Chöling is a retreat community and monastery established by Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche in the 1960s in the Solu Khumbu district of Northeastern Nepal. Today, over 300 monks and nuns - most of whom are Tibetan refugees - live there.
Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche settled in the region of Khumbu after fleeing Tibet in 1959. Trulshik Rinpoche first stayed at other monasteries for several years, while hoping to return to his own monastery of Dza Rongphu in Tibet. Finally, in 1968, Trulshik Rinpoche established the Thupten Chöling monastery on donated land.
As Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche continued to believe that he and his followers would soon return to their homeland Tibet, the monastery was not built to last, and began to deteriorate in the 1990s. Since 2001, it has been rebuilt as a more stable structure. In April 2015, a large earthquake destroyed many of the houses of the nuns and monks, but leaving the monastery largely intact. The nuns and monks are now rebuilding their homes in the area with the help of nearby villagers.
Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche was one of the most senior teachers of Tibetan Buddhism and a teacher of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. In 2001, he became the Head of the Nyingma School. Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche entered pari-nirvana on 2nd September 2011. His reincarnation, Ngawang Tendzin Lodrö Rabsel, was born in Kathmandu on July 25, 2013 and recognised in 2015.
Thupten Chöling is renowned as one of the most important centres for the monastic tradition of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism. In 1977, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche visited Thupten Chöling and stayed for several months giving the place spiritual empowerments.
Read MoreKyabje Trulshik Rinpoche settled in the region of Khumbu after fleeing Tibet in 1959. Trulshik Rinpoche first stayed at other monasteries for several years, while hoping to return to his own monastery of Dza Rongphu in Tibet. Finally, in 1968, Trulshik Rinpoche established the Thupten Chöling monastery on donated land.
As Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche continued to believe that he and his followers would soon return to their homeland Tibet, the monastery was not built to last, and began to deteriorate in the 1990s. Since 2001, it has been rebuilt as a more stable structure. In April 2015, a large earthquake destroyed many of the houses of the nuns and monks, but leaving the monastery largely intact. The nuns and monks are now rebuilding their homes in the area with the help of nearby villagers.
Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche was one of the most senior teachers of Tibetan Buddhism and a teacher of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. In 2001, he became the Head of the Nyingma School. Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche entered pari-nirvana on 2nd September 2011. His reincarnation, Ngawang Tendzin Lodrö Rabsel, was born in Kathmandu on July 25, 2013 and recognised in 2015.
Thupten Chöling is renowned as one of the most important centres for the monastic tradition of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism. In 1977, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche visited Thupten Chöling and stayed for several months giving the place spiritual empowerments.
