About a dozen nuns showcased their martial arts skills at the long-awaited reopening of their nunnery in Nepal. They performed hand chops and high kicks, with some wielding swords, to the delight of hundreds of cheering supporters.
The event marked the reopening of the Druk Amitabha Monastery, which had been closed to the public for five years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The kung fu nuns, aged between 17 and 30, belong to the 1,000-year-old Drukpa lineage. This lineage grants nuns equal status with monks and is the only female order within the traditionally patriarchal Buddhist monastic system.
Typically, nuns are expected to handle household chores and are not permitted to practice martial arts. However, His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa, a prominent monk in the Tibetan Buddhist hierarchy, decided to train women in kung fu to enhance their health and spiritual well-being.
He established the nunnery in 2009, and it now has 300 members ranging in age from six to 54.
Jigme Jangchub Chosdon, a 23-year-old nun from Ladakh, India, explained their motivation: “We do kung fu to keep ourselves mentally and physically fit. Our aim is to promote women’s empowerment and gender equality.”
The nuns hail from Bhutan, India, and Nepal, and they are all trained in kung fu, a Chinese martial art focused on self-defense and strength.
Jigme Yangchen Gamo, a 24-year-old nun from Ramechhap, Nepal, expressed her desire to help the community and empower young girls to build their strength through kung fu.
According to the nunnery’s website, their focus on gender equality, physical strength, and respect for all living beings signifies a return to the order’s “true spiritual roots.”
In the past, the nuns have undertaken long expeditions on foot and by bike in the Himalayas to raise funds for disaster relief and promote environmentally friendly living.
Jigme Konchok Lhamo, a 30-year-old nun from India, shared her aspiration to achieve enlightenment like Lord Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.
She acknowledged her current focus, saying, “But for now, as I am a normal person, I think I will be focusing more on helping others. Helping others is our religion.”
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