The tradition of the Shungsep nunnery goes back over centuries. Some of the most famous personalities of Tibet’s spiritual history lived and taught here: the great Dzogchen master Longchen Rabjam and the Dakinis Machik-Lapdrön and Shugsep Jetsunma.

Our goal is to rebuild the destroyed Tibetan Shugsep nunnery in India. The project came to life in 1987 in response to the enormous influx of nuns fleeing from Tibet and seeking protection and religious freedom in India.

The project is being led by Rinchen Khandro Chögyal, minister of education of the Tibetan exile government and sister in law of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It is important to find longterm solutions for the housing, medical care and above all schooling of the nuns. The intention is to install a curriculum that will link the traditional values and teachings with knowledge about life in modern world.

The Tibetan Nun’s Project (TNP) is planning to initiate projects which will further a financial income for the nuns, allowing them to become economically independent. The TNP is under patronage of the Tibetan Women’s League.

The new Shungsep nunnery provides an education for the nuns in the Nyingma-tradition and enables them to qualify as teachers.
The planned building is meant to house 108 nuns. Donations have so far enabled us to buy nine acres of land for the erection of a new nunnery and to build an access road.