Thuk-che-cho-Ling nunnery was first built in Kyidrong in Tibet by Drukpa Rinpoche.
At one time, Bhutanese Choegyal Wangchuk, Drubwang Sakya Shri, Geshe Sherab Dorjee, Drukpa Rinpoche and others from Bhutan came to Nepal to carry out the great renovation work of the Swyambhunath Stupa.
After the completion of renovation works, they went to Bhutan but Drukpa Rinpoche traveled to Kyidrong in Tibet for pilgrimage and to get the blessings from the venerable image of Jowo-Thukje-Chemo and the sacred cave of Tibet’s great Yogi Milarepa.
In Kyidrong, many pious and devoted people made a lot of offerings to Rinpoche. Out of these offerings, Rinpoche first planned to build a monastery for the monks. But later as per the divination, a nunnery was built near the holy Jam-tin monastery in Kyidrong where the King Songtsen Gampo had paid a visit and blessed the spot.
In the beginning 25 nuns were ordained and Rinpoche took the initiative to look after the nunnery until it came under the responsibility of Zongkar Choede monastery later in 1950’s as per the request made by the nunnery to the then Tibetan government. The first person as an Incharge who came from Zongkar Choede monastery was Ven. Yeshi Chojor.
In 1959, when the Communist China occupied Tibet, the news of the great destruction of monasteries and imprisonment of monks reached Nepal. Ven. Tsechu Rinpoche had sent a messenger to Kyidrong nunnery to ask them to attempt an escape towards Nepal.
The nunnery received the advice most thankfully and all the nuns with the in charge escaped to Yolmo in the border of Nepal in early 1960. There, they made a transit camp building temporary structures for their stay and to perform their religious activities.
But in 1980, due to heavy rainfall, many of the houses were washed away and it became impossible to stay there. They then moved to Kathmandu near Swyambhunath in a rented house. Since their living was difficult, here again, Ven. Tsechu-Rinpoche offered his maximum help in addition to the assistance provided by the Representative of the Tibetan Government in exile and other generous aid organizations and individual sponsors.
Later, the nunnery launched a fund raising campaign both in Nepal and India mainly amongst the Tibetan Community. The response for this appeal had become so dramatic that they were in a position to buy the land and also build the present monastery and the residential quarters for the nuns.
The main sacred objects of worship in the prayer hall are as follows:
1) A statue of the Lord Buddha. (2) A statue of Avoloketeshwara from Tibet (3) A statue of Guru Padma Sambhava. (4) 21 Statues of Tara Devi. (5) Statue containing the relics of Drugpa Rinpoche. (6) 108 volumes of Kagyur. (7) 225 volumes of Tengyur the commentorial canon. (8) Some Scholars commentarial texts.
Religious Activities in a year:
1} Monthly confessions 2} Summer Retreat or Yarney for 45 days, beginning August. 3} Post Yarney Tsok and Pujas.4} Tsok offering every 10th and 25th Tibetan calendar. 5} Chotrul Dawa Sadhana of Avaloketeshwara. 6} Fast for 16 days 7} Saga Dawa sand Mandala of Avaloketeshwara for which the initiation itself takes 16 days. 8} Drugpa Tseshi Sadhana followed by a 3 day fast. 9} Kagyur Text recitation of all the 108 volumes during the Tibetan calendar 7th month. 10} During the Tibetan calendar 8th month, it coincides with the Nepali. Dassain festivals, during which thousands of animals are sacrificed. KTCM undertakes Sadhana of Avaloketeshwara followed by three days of fast. 11} During the Tibetan calendar 9th month, the nuns perform sand Mandala of Avaloketeshwara and prayer and fast for six days together with the lay community of Kyidrong. 12} 10th month Tibetan calendar, sand of Buddha Akshobey, special Pujas and recitation on the occasion of the Tsongkhapa anniversary. 13} During the 12th month, Tibetan calendar, Sadhana of Vajra Yogini is undertaken. 14} Besides above, we observe festivals like Losar, Birthday of H.H. the Dalai Lama, etc. On special request from friends and devotees, we also undertake rituals like Medicine Buddha Puja, Mahakala Puja, etc.
Activities: - Besides maintaining the basic structure of a traditional monastic community in which every one has to observe certain rules and regulations, recitation of prayers and rituals and attending to lay community’s request for Pujas, (which has become the main source of income), the young nuns are taught English, Tibetan language, mathematics, health and hygiene, dialects etc. Some nuns are also trained such arts as sand Mandalas, Thangka Painting and Tailoring.
Senior nuns take turns to teach the younger nuns subjects like Tibetan and Basic English. The Monastery also hires teachers to teach other subjects and also requests other Monasteries to train nuns in ritualistic arts like Mandala creation and traditional instrument playing.
Kyidrong Thuk-Che-Cho-Ling Nunnery School
P.O.Box.No. 6531 Swyambhu,
Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: 279054
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