Karsha Nunnery Project
We would like to make a short documentary focusing on bringing 10 nuns from Karsha Nunnery, Zanskar, Ladakh, to Auroville, Pondicherry.
Two years ago, I had an amazing opportunity to live in a nunnery in Ladakh for some weeks. It was a dream come true for me. This nunnery is called Karsha, or Chukshikjal, founded in 1957 and located in the Zanskar Valley in the Himalayas—a very remote place with harsh living conditions. Some call it ‘Little Tibet’ because the people are almost untouched by modernisation and practice traditional Tibetan Buddhism, as in Tibet.
These nuns practice the Gelugpa, also known as the Yellow Hat sect, of Tibetan Buddhism, the same followed by the Dalai Lama.
The total funds we are raising—8 lakh rupees—will go towards the travel, food, and accommodation for the nuns and the film crew. The rest of this experience is priceless.
Buddhist Nuns of the Himalayas
These nuns built their nunnery themselves over the last 60 or so years, stone by stone, carrying each up the mountain. In this part of the world, monks are highly respected, but women have had to fight for their spiritual freedom. It’s only in the last 60 years or so that women in this village have been able to create their own spiritual house for worship, one of which is Karsha Nunnery.
I wanted to share with the nuns where I am from and all about Auroville, and a local friend translated for me. The nuns were very interested. When I asked who would like to discover Auroville, they all wanted to! One old nun even said, “Please take me before I get too old and can’t leave the mountain.” She must have been over 80 years old.
To donate, click here:
https://aviusa.org/karshanuns/
