Preventing Cold and Mold at Sherab Choeling

In the spring of 2025, the nuns at Sherab Choeling Nunnery in the high-altitude Spiti Valley requested assistance to insulate the ground floor of their nunnery, to protect against cold, dampness, and mold.

Images showing one Head nun, Ani Budith La, shows the state of her room at the nunnery. Like the other 24 rooms, it suffers from visible mold, peeling walls, and harsh cold during winter.

A “before” picture. Head nun, Ani Butith, shows the state of her room at the nunnery. Like the other 24 rooms, it suffers from visible mold and peeling walls. The rooms were very cold during winter.

The existing living conditions were posing a serious health hazard to the nuns. Five nuns had already fallen ill due to the damp and mold.

We are happy to report that, thanks to 44 generous donors, the insulation and wood panelling project at Sherab Choeling Nunnery has now been completed. Here is a report with photos and a sweet video made by the nuns.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Sherab Choeling clear the roof from snow

An archival photo showing the nuns clearing snow off the roof of the nunnery. The nunnery is located at an altitude of approximately 12,500 feet (3,800 meters) and can be cut off in winter. The cold and damp were impacting the health and well-being of the nuns.

Background to the Mold and Cold Mitigation Project

Sherab Choeling Nunnery is home to approximately 60 nuns who live and study in extremely harsh climatic conditions, especially during winter when temperatures fall well below freezing and heavy snowfall often isolates the region.

The objective of this project was to address severe cold, dampness and mold issues within the nunnery buildings to improve the health and living conditions of the resident nuns.

The nunnery buildings were constructed using traditional mud and local materials. While this is culturally appropriate in the region, the aging structures developed significant damp issues over time which encouraged the growth of mold on the interior walls.

Kitchen at Sherab Choeling after wood panelling

The kitchen and dining area at the nunnery was severely damaged by dampness, especially in the corners. This not only affected hygiene but also made the space difficult to maintain. Now this area has new insulation and wood panelling and is much more comfortable and healthy for the nuns.

Poor insulation against the extreme cold and persistent moisture retention led to unhealthy living conditions, and several nuns developed health problems, including joint pain, knee and back problems, and increased physical discomfort during the winter months, which impacted their ability to carry out their daily tasks.

Due to extreme winter weather and frequent road closures, the nuns found it difficult to remain in Spiti during the peak winter months. For the past few years, they have been temporarily relocating to Hamirpur, where the Spiti community generously provided hostel accommodation until the snow cleared.

The nuns unload wood for panelling project at Sherab Choeling. The major project took many months to complete and is already having a profound impact on the well-being of the nuns.

Your Generosity in Action

Despite the challenging location, the work went smoothly. Fortunately, this winter did not bring heavy snowfall, which allowed the timber wood panelling work to continue without interruption.

The following areas have now been fully completed with wood panelling:
— The nuns’ residences
— The kitchen and dining area
— The temple/prayer hall

before and after Sherab Choelingbefore and after Sherab Choeling

Before and after. One of the nuns’ shared rooms with the new panelling making the space much warmer and liveable.

Huge Impact on the Nuns’ Lives

The nuns report that the wood panels are helping to keep the rooms warmer. They also reduce dampness and prevent mold from growing because black foam was placed between the wall and the wooden panels. This method is commonly practiced by people in the Spiti Valley to protect their homes from dampness and mold.

A carpenter making wood panelling for Sherab Choeling. The nuns say in their video, “It has truly changed our lives.”

The nuns have expressed great happiness and satisfaction with the completed work. This project marks a meaningful improvement in both their physical well-being and daily living environment.

Prayer room and temple at Sherab Choeling before and after panelling

The prayer room and temple room at Sherab Choeling before and after the wood panelling. You can see the damp, moldy walls on the left before the work was done to insulate the room.

The nuns of Sherab Choeling Nunnery extend their heartfelt gratitude to all donors and supporters who made this project possible.

Here’s a video that the nuns made for you. Can’t see the video? Click here.

Ani Butith, who has been in the nunnery for the past 30 years and currently acts as the administrator, conveyed sincere appreciation on behalf of all the nuns. She shared that although they may not be able to repay the generosity materially, they will offer Long Life and Tara prayers at the nunnery dedicated to all donors and supporters as a gesture of their gratitude.

A carpenter prepares wood panelling for the nunnery.

A carpenter prepares wood panellling. The nuns say in their video, “Before this the cold would seep into our bones, leaving many of us with aching backs and knees. But this year is different. Our rooms are finally a sanctuary of warmth.”

Conclusion

The Mold and Cold Mitigation Project through wood paneling at Sherab Choeling Nunnery has been successfully completed. The intervention addresses long-standing issues of dampness, mold, and extreme cold exposure and is expected to bring lasting positive change to the health and daily lives of the nuns.

The nuns say the wood panelling and insulation has truly changed their lives. “Before this, the cold would seep into our bones, leaving many of us with aching backs and knees. But this year is different. Our rooms are finally a sanctuary of warmth. We burn less firewood and, most importantly, the health of our sisters has improved so much.”

Thank you to all the donors and supporters for making this project possible and successful!

Winter at Sherab Choeling Nunnery in the Indian Himalayas nuns shovelling snow copy

An archival photo of the nuns shovelling a path around the nunnery. Winters in the Spiti Valley can be very severe with temperatures dropping as low as -22ºF or -30ºC.

Today is the first day of spring, but is it really goodbye winter at Tibetan Buddhist nunneries in northern India?

Visit two nunneries with videos and photos to see the life of the nuns in winter.

Winter at Sherab Choeling Nunnery

Sherab Choeling Nunnery in the remote, high-altitude Spiti Valley is one of seven nunneries supported by the Tibetan Nuns Project. It was founded just over 25 years ago to educate Himalayan Buddhist nuns who would otherwise have no opportunity to receive any formal schooling or spiritual education.

Sign for Sherab Choeling Nunnery in the Indian Himalayas. The nunnery is very secluded and is at almost 4,000 feet or 1,200 meters altitude.

Winters are tough at Sherab Choeling and this year was no exception. In February it was snowy and cold with temperatures dropping down to -8°F or -22°C.

The 62 nuns at the nunnery have many winter chores such as carrying water, washing dishes at an outdoor pump, and shovelling snow. There is very little heat in the nunnery, aside from the stoves for cooking.

fetching water at Sherab Choeling Nunnery, winter photos Tibetan Buddhist nunneries

The nuns wash their dishes at an outside pump and fetch water for the nunnery.

Last week, an avalanche blocked one of the main roads into Spiti, the Manali-Leh highway, stranding vehicles while another avalanche blocked a major road through the Spiti Valley. Winter may not be over yet.

Tibetan nuns shovelling snow, Sherab Choeling Nunnery, Spiti, winter at Tibetan Buddhist nunneries

The nuns gather in the sunshine to shovel snow and sweep the steps of the nunnery.

Here’s a video of winter at Sherab Choeling with clips made by the nuns. Can’t see the video? Click here.

Life in Winter at Dolma Ling

The wonderful Media Nuns at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute have documented daily life at the nunnery in January and February.

With the rise of the highly transmissable omicron variant in the early part of 2022, the nuns did more activities outside. Despite the cold weather, they studied and ate their meals outdoors as much as possible.

Here’s a slideshow. Can’t see it? Click here.

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Geshemas Teach Children on Their Winter Break

Every winter, the Tibetan children who live near the nunnery have a long winter break. This year, the Geshema nuns at Dolma Ling wanted to help the children improve their Tibetan reading and writing skills. These nuns hold the highest degree in their tradition, roughly equivalent to a PhD in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy.

Here’s a slideshow of the Geshemas teaching the children. Can’t see it? Click here.