Sand Mandala Creation by Jangchup Choeling Nuns

In the early 1980’s, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, with the vision of preserving Tibetan culture and heritage, recommended the building of a nunnery which would foster philosophical education and training for women. Jangchub Choeling Nunnery was founded in 1987 under the vision as an educational institution for women of all ages who wish to pursue the study of Buddhist scriptures of Nalanda tradition. His Holiness recommendation was delivered to the Representative Chairman of Mundgod as well as to the local Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA). In 1986, a small prayer hall was built with the help of the Tibetan Government in Exile. Disused houses belonging to the neighboring nursing home were renovated with the support of the German Aids to Tibetans and the Tibetan Centre Hamburg in Germany. A year later in 1987, the first 18 nuns from the local Tibetan settlement in Mundgod moved into the nunnery. At the time, the nuns were aged between 6-12 years old, most senior nun Ven.Thupten Lhatso la was very kind to look after the young nuns who attended the Central School for Tibetans to study secular subjects during the day, and practiced dharma in the evenings. In 1989, two Geshes (Monk Scholars) Geshe Konchok Tsering and Geshe Khenrap Dhargay from Gaden Shartse began teaching Philosophy to the young nuns twice a week. From 1990 until 1992, the nuns are completely responsible for the administration of the nunnery themselves but due to lack of experience and full qualification, they experienced some difficulties so they now gets support from the Representative office of H. H the Dalai Lama and Lay community. Since there is no Tibetan nuns in exile who have undergone a full monastic education and training program, the nunnery is also been short of an abbess with the necessary qualifications and authority. Therefore for the time being the Department of Religion and Culture has requested Gaden monastery to send a fully-qualified abbot to guide the nuns and look after their discipline.