Big Changes at an Ancient Himalayan Nunnery
High in the Indian Himalayas is an ancient 14th-century Tibetan Buddhist nunnery known for its long tradition of meditating nuns, some famed for reaching high levels of realization. Dorjee Zong Nunnery is one of the seven nunneries supported by the Tibetan Nuns Project. Located on a remote mountainside in Zanskar, it is one of the region’s oldest centers for monastic education.
This is what Dorjee Zong Nunnery, founded in the 14th century, looked like before the expansion project started in 2019. The 700-year-old nunnery had one classroom and one main building. Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam.
Until recently, the nunnery had changed little over 700 years, but since 2019 it undergone a major expansion project. Thanks to the Betsy Gordon Foundation and other supporters, the nunnery now has a new school that serves both nuns and lay girls. With great happiness, the school was officially inaugurated in the summer of 2026.
The new school building at Dorjee Zong was started in 2019 and was officially inaugurated on July 30, 2026. It provides education and housing for 13 young nuns as well as 14 lay girls from the region.
The newly constructed school building provides a safe and comfortable learning environment. It includes four classrooms, a library, temple, a kitchen, a dining hall, and the necessary furniture for students and staff. The entire construction of the school building, along with furniture and essential facilities, was generously supported by the donors through the Tibetan Nuns Project.
Life at Dorjee Zong
Life at Dorjee Zong is shaped by extreme weather and high altitude. At over 12,000 feet (3,600 meters) above sea level, Zanskar experiences brutal winters lasting up to nine months, with temperatures plunging to -22°F (-30°C). Cut off from the rest of India for much of the year due to snow-blocked mountain passes and rugged single-lane roads, the nunnery operates with limited fuel and electricity, running water, and healthcare access.
The traditional kitchen in the old upper part of Dorjee Zong Nunnery. Thanks to generous donors, a new school building has been built lower down the slope with much-improved facitilies.
Life involves daily survival chores and sometimes heavy physical labor. During the short growing season, nuns tend to their small fields, manage greenhouses, gather yak or cow dung for fuel, and shovel massive snowdrifts during the winter storms.
Girls in the Himalayas have traditionally been given far less education than boys. They are often removed from school as early as Grade 4 if they are sent at all. The nunnery now educates both nuns and lay girls, giving them a chance for good education that they might otherwise not have.
Math class. Educational opportunities for young girls in the Himalayas have historically been limited. Now lay girls and young nuns study at the nunnery up to Grade 5 after which they take the TNP-funded school bus to continue their education.
Inauguration of the New School at Dorjee Zong
Dorjee Zong was accepted into the Tibetan Nuns Project’s sponsorship program in 2009. The construction of the new school and dormitory building began in 2019 with the aim of providing quality education, especially to young nuns, while also offering educational opportunities to young lay girls from the local community. After years of dedicated effort, the school was officially inaugurated on 30 July, 2026.
Dorjee Zong is currently home to 19 nuns. Six elder nuns, some in their 90s, continue to reside in the ancient nunnery in the upper hilltop site. The elder nuns spend their days reciting mantras, walking sacred paths, and tending small greenhouses or fields to prepare for harsh winters. The 13 younger nuns live and study alongside lay girls in the new school building below.
One of the bright new classrooms at Dorjee Zong Nunnery school where 27 students study: 13 young nuns and 14 lay girls.
The girls study up to Class 5 at the new Dorjee Zong school, after which they go to the local Phodrang school in the school bus which was paid for by Tibetan Nuns Project donors. The Tibetan Nuns Project also pays for a teacher and a cook.
Dorjee Zong is at 12,861 feet or 3,920 meters. In winter, the area can be cut off by heavy snow. The nunnery now provides primary education up to Grade 5 for both young nuns and local lay girls. Photo by Bryan Watt.
Building the new school took many years of support and hard work. Construction started in 2019, but progress was severely hampered by the pandemic during which travel restrictions made it difficult for laborers to travel to and from the site. Also, at this altitude, the long severe winters reduce the construction season to around five months a year.
Currently, the new school has 27 students: 13 young nuns and 14 lay girls. The school has been established to create a supportive learning environment where students can receive both modern education and basic Buddhism. Although the primary focus is on educating nuns, the school also welcomes and supports the education of young lay girls from nearby villages.
Inauguration of the New School
The official inauguration of Dorjee Zong Nunnery school on July 30, 2026 marked an important milestone in the development of education in the region. The school stands as a symbol of hope and opportunity for young girls, particularly nuns, by providing access to quality education while preserving Buddhist values and culture.
Young nuns celebrate the official opening of their school at Dorjee Zong. Access to education for girls in Zanskar has historically been limited by extreme geographical isolation and traditional gender roles.
A large number of people from the five surrounding villages attended the inauguration ceremony, making the occasion a memorable community celebration. The inauguration began with the rabney or consecration ceremony, performed by Drepung Gomang Khen Rinpoche together with several monks from Karsha Gompa. The religious ceremony blessed the new school building.
Villagers in Zanskar celebrate the inauguration of the new school at Dorjee Zong Nunnery. The school currently has has 27 students: 13 young nuns and 14 lay girls and marks an important milestone in the development of education in the region.
Here is a video made by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns showing highlights of the inauguration ceremony. Can’t see the video? Click here.
The event was attended by many distinguished guests and members of the local community. Among those who addressed the gathering were Mr. Sonam Namgyal, President of the Dorjee Zong Nunnery Cultural Welfare Society; Geshe Lobsang Tsetan, Advisor to the Dorjee Zong Nunnery Cultural Welfare Society; Mr. Stanzin Jigmath, Honorable Councillor of Karsha Region, Zanskar; and Ms. Youdon Aukatsang, Director of the Tibetan Nuns Project in India, who also shared her thoughts and best wishes for the future of the school.
A photo taken during construction showing the old part of Dorjee Zong on the hilltop on the left and the new school lower down.
The program was further enriched by traditional songs and dances and cultural performances presented by the young nuns and several local cultural groups. Their performances reflected the rich cultural heritage of the region and added great joy to the celebration.
The inauguration ceremony concluded with lunch served to all guests, villagers, monks, students, and participants, bringing the joyful celebration to a warm and memorable close.
This project would not have been possible without the generous support of the Betsy Gordon Foundation, the dedicated efforts of the Dorjee Zong Nunnery Cultural Welfare Society, the Deep Roots Himalayan Foundation, the members of the Contemplative Studies Program, the encouragement of the local community, and all those who have supported the expansion and improvement project and the creation of the new school.
Thank you for helping to build the new school at Dorjee Zong Nunnery. Photos courtesy of Olivier Adam.
The Tibetan Nuns Project and the entire Dorjee Zong Nunnery community expresses its deepest gratitude to the donors for making this dream a reality. Your generous support will always be remembered as an important milestone in the growth and development of the nunnery school.
Here’s another video made in the autumn of 2023, showing the school project under construction.
Thank you so much for your support of the nuns!