At a hilltop monastery in Nepal, about a dozen nuns showcased their impressive martial art prowess through hand chops, high kicks, and sword demonstrations to hundreds of enthusiastic spectators celebrating the reopening of their nunnery.
The special performance at the Druk Amitabha monastery marked a significant moment as the institution welcomed the public again after a five-year closure due to Covid restrictions.
These kung fu practitioners, ranging from 17 to 30 years old, belong to the millennium-old Drukpa lineage, a unique Buddhist order that stands out for granting nuns equal status as monks – a rarity in the traditionally patriarchal Buddhist monastic system.
While traditional expectations often limit nuns to domestic duties like cooking and cleaning, His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa took a revolutionary step by introducing kung fu training to enhance both the physical and spiritual wellbeing of women in the order. Since its establishment in 2009, the nunnery has grown to house 300 members between the ages of six and 54.
“We do kung fu to keep ourselves mentally and physically fit, and our aim is to promote women’s empowerment and gender equality,” explained Jigme Jangchub Chosdon, 23, who came to the nunnery from Ladakh, India.
The nunnery brings together practitioners from Bhutan, India, and Nepal, all trained in the Chinese martial art that emphasizes self-defense and strength building. Among them is Jigme Yangchen Gamo, 24, from Ramechhap, Nepal, who shared, “With the confidence from kung fu, I really want to help the community, young girls to build their own strength.”
According to the nunnery’s website, their practice symbolizes a return to the order’s “true spiritual roots,” combining principles of gender equality, physical strength, and universal respect for all living beings.
