Zanskar
Zanskar is renowned for its spectacular landscape - it is a high mountainous plateau at the roof of the world. Zanskar is also known for its pilgrimage sites. Great masters and yogis of the past have spent years there, deepening their spiritual essence and attaining unsurpassable qualities.

Khandro-la's family has long and strong historical connections with this area. Many people from the Himalayan regions travelled on foot to Tibet to study with her great-grandfather, the renowned Shakya Sri. Since that time, the late 1800's, many hermitages and practitioners of his yogic lineage have been established and brought the gift of dharma to entire lay communities. Subsequently, her father, the widely respected Apho Rinpoche, lived in the Himalayan region reviving the devotion and practice of lay peoples and yogis alike.

The peoples of this area are in need of teachings, practice and welfare support. In these times their culture is vulnerable to extinction and they have very poor living conditions. Khandro-la feels strongly connected to these people and is deeply committed to helping strengthen their devotion, spiritual practice and living conditions.

The Khachodling vision in Zanskar and the associated Himalayan region aims to build a strong nuns community that becomes like the root of a tree, supporting and nourishing the spiritual and everyday life of the entire lay and monastic community. Self-sustaining works are also envisioned to help build a stronger economic base for the communities.

Khachodling Nunnery
There are 25 dedicated female practitioners along with their teachers and staff for whom a simple, eco friendly Khachodling nunnery is their home. This is in Sani overlooking the valley and holy sites.

Considering difficult climate and expensive building conditions there has been considerable building progress in the last 2 years. A site plan has been established and the small mud huts that house the nuns have been supplemented by a modest gompa shrine room, kitchen and greenhouse. A 5 km road has been built and tree planting begun.

In the next few years there is a need to focus on building a fenced boundary, water provision to the entire site, harnessing solar energy and a generator for electricity, tree planting and pathways as well as providing more nuns quarters, a three year retreat facility and guest house cum retreat accommodation.

Of the 25 nuns, seven will undergo training in the traditional three years solitary retreat. Another seven will concentrate on learning traditional prayers and rituals from the elders so they can perform pujas for both the immediate community and the rest of the world. The remaining seven nuns will be trained in philosophy and to develop skills in incense making, carving and painting. There will be always a few nuns to take care of the grounds and buildings.

At present the nuns are engaged, like our lineage ancestor Milarepa, in helping to build the nunnery as well as daily practice. The entire winter is covered with thick snow and so the nuns have this opportunity to engage in intensive solitary retreat, under the guidance of Lama Wangdu who has been appointed by Khandro-la as their teacher.

During summer 2007, when Khandro-la visited the nunnery, she offered many living utensils as well as holy texts (Kangyur and Tengyur) and the best quality musical instruments like gyaling, dung and drums, for practice.

In addition to constructing two more levels over the gompa shrine room just completed, funds are required soon to decorate the shrine room with statues, painting, carpets, puja tables and so on.

Location
The beautiful piece of land, above Sani village and its picturesque valley was donated by the local community and has now been legalized under the ownership of Khachodling Trust. Sani is 6 km from Padam, Zanskar.

Sani is the ancient pilgrimage site of the great siddha Naropa, who meditated many years under the Kanishka stupa. A bronze statue now marks this blessed place and is unveiled each year in the Naro Nasjal Festival. The unsurpassable Guru Padmasambhava also meditated on charnel grounds in Sani for many years. The nunnery land is very close to these blessed charnel grounds. On the hill opposite the nunnery there is a high cave where guru Nyima Ozer meditated.

The renowned yogi from Zanskar, Drubchen Ngawang Tsering, had a nunnery on this very Khachodling site in ancient times. On this land this great master attained Parinirvana, and his female students and nuns attained high realization. Some of them are said to have dissolved into rainbow body here. To this day you can see the statue of Drubchen Ngawang Tsering in the temple next to Khachodling nunnery.

Medical Clinic
The local Amchi (traditional healer) is very devoted to Khandro-la and she has been supported financially by Khachodling to continue her work. She is available to develop a medicinal herb garden at the nunnery, which is at a high altitude. She is also available to teach some of her medical skills to the nuns and laywomen.

In the long Khandro-la would like to create a medical care clinic in the township that will provide primary health care and education for locals. Both western and traditional healing modalities will be practiced. The first phase of this project is to build the base clinic, and the second phase includes a mobile medical clinic that can travel to outlying regions.

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