The women put in hours daily, perfecting their art

The nunnery founder his Holiness Jigme Pema Wangchen, the present Gyalwang Drukpa instigated Shaolin Kung Fu training for his nuns in 2008 after a visit to Vietnam in the same year where he witnessed Vietnamese nuns practicing the martial art. He was told that it helped the Vietnamese nuns concentrate better and made them more self-reliant and recalling how some of his nuns at the Khilwa nunnery were fearful of travelling down from the mountain alone he decided to incorporate defensive Kung Fu training at his own nunnery. 200 nuns are taught ranging in age from 12 to 25 and there are currently 3 sessions a day starting in the early morning. The Kung Fu training has energised the nuns and made them fitter, more self confident and alert.

The nunnery in Kathmandu, Nepal

They learn the fighting kills how to perfecting punching, kicking and hand chopping  during their lessons

“But then when I grew up, I started to think what can I do for them?
“Then I thought what I can do is to build a nunnery and then give them an opportunity to study and practice spiritually.”
Chores at the hillside nunnery just outside Kathmandu are now split equally, and women get to lead prayers, practice meditation, take English lessons and classes in managerial skills.

The nuns says martial arts helps their meditation

Buddhists showcase their martial arts moves, which they spend two hours a day perfectingIn 2008 the Gyalwang Drukpa decided to introduce martial arts into the nunnery, after seeing women from Vietnam receiving combat training that was previously used by Viet Cong guerrillas.
Every day the nuns put on their burgundy jumpsuits and take part in intense training sessions complete with hand chops, punches, high kicks and exaggerated kicks.
“It’s good for our health. Meditation is very difficult and if we do kung fu, then afterwards meditation becomes much easier,” according to Rupa a16-year-old nun.

Nunnery founder his Holiness Jigme Pema Wangchen, the present Gyalwang Drukpa instigated Shaolin Kung Fu training for his nuns in 2008 after a visit to Vietnam in the same year where he witnessed Vietnamese nuns practicing the martial art.

Buddhist nun Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo added: “It’s excellent exercise, secondly it’s very good for discipline and concentration, thirdly it arouses a sense of self-confidence which is very important for nuns, and fourthly when any young men in the area know nuns are kung fu experts, they keep away.”
The progressive views of the the Gyalwang Drukpa have boosted the number of young women who want to become nuns.
Jetsunma continued: “Many of them say, wow, if I become a nun I can study, I can practise, I can do these rituals, I can live together with all these other lovely nuns and lamas will visit us and give us teaching.”
The kung fu nuns get to experience things other Nepalese cannot.
“His Holiness wants the nuns to be like the men, with the same rights in the world,” 18-year-old Jigme Konchok Lhamo told AFP.
“That is why we get the chance to do everything, not just kung fu.

16-year-old Nun, Jigme Zeki Lhamo  practicing Kung Fu at the Druk Gawa Khilwa Buddhist Nunnery, Ramkot, near Kathmandu, Nepal.

“We also have the chance here to learn many things, like tennis and skating.
“And we have the chance also to learn English and Tibetan, dancing and musical instruments.”
Gyalwang Drukpa said promoting gender equality helps “give me great encouragement to work harder and live longer.”