Dorjee Zong Nunnery

Dorjee Zong Nunnery is an ancient Tibetan Buddhist nunnery located in the remote, high-altitude area of Zanskar in northern India, near Ladakh.

The nunnery was accepted into the Tibetan Nuns Project’s sponsorship program in 2009 and provides education to girls and women. The nunnery is one of the oldest centers in pursuit of monastic education in Zanskar. Founded in the 14th century, it has a long tradition of meditating nuns, some of who are famed for having reached high levels of realization and attainment.

There are about 20 nuns at the nunnery. The eldest are in their 90s, while the youngest are provided primary education at the nunnery up to Grade 5.

The old nunnery in 2014 before the major expansion and improvement project started in 2019. In the past, the nuns at Dorjee Zong did not have the opportunity to engage in rigorous philosophical studies, but now their education program is much stronger. Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam.

The nunnery was founded about 700 years ago by Master Sherab Zangpo, renowned as the Bodhisattva from the upper region of Tibet. He was one of the chief disciples of Tsongkhapa Lobsang Drakpa (1357-1419) founder of the Geluk order. There have been a number of highly accomplished practitioners who devoted their entire life to dharma at this nunnery. Khandroma Yeshi Lhamo, popularly known as Jomo Shelama, was one of those highly realized practitioners from the nunnery.

Young nuns study at Dorjee Zong Nunnery in 2014. The girls and women from this area have traditionally been given far less education than boys and men. The nunnery gives them a chance for education that they would not have otherwise. Though the young girls live and dress and nuns, they do not take vows until they are old enough to understand. Photo by Olivier Adam

Six nuns from Dorjee Zong Nunnery have studied in nunneries in Dharamsala for many years. Among them, three nuns have taken on the responsibility to revive their ancient nunnery.

Nuns at Dorjee Zong Nunnery. Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam.

The nunnery is completing a huge expansion project thanks to generous donors.

Here’s a video of life at Dorjee Zong in August 2022.

For more news and photos of Dorjee Zong Nunnery see our blog post “Visit Dorjee Zong Nunnery in Zanskar Through Beautiful Photos”