Published TUESDAY, October 17, 2023: 'Sisters of No Mercy: Kathmandu's Kung Fu Nuns' Pictures by award winning ZUMA Press photographer Skanda Gautam: Legend has it that 1,000 years ago in the Himalayas, Buddhist Gyalwang Drukpa saw nine dragons fly into the sky. He was so inspired that he decided to create and train a new order of nuns, one committed to peace, nature, gender equality and, most recently, kung fu. The 350 women of the Drukpa dragon order are highly skilled in martial arts, in which they train with swords, machetes and nunchucks six days a week. The nuns focus on their spiritual roots by championing gender equality, physical fitness, environmentally-friendly ways of living, and respect for all living beings. They also help the sick, rescue animals, pick up litter and can rewire a temple. Welcome to 'Sisters of No Mercy: Kathmandu's Kung Fu Nuns'.
© zReportage.com Issue #910 Story of the Week: Published TUESDAY, October 17, 2023: 'Sisters of No Mercy: Kathmandu's Kung Fu Nuns' Pictures by award winning ZUMA Press photographer Skanda Gautam: Legend has it that 1,000 years ago in the Himalayas, Buddhist Gyalwang Drukpa saw nine dragons fly into the sky. He was so inspired that he decided to create and train a new order of nuns, one committed to peace, nature, gender equality and, most recently, kung fu. The 350 women of the Drukpa dragon order are highly skilled in martial arts, in which they train with swords, machetes and nunchucks six days a week. The nuns focus on their spiritual roots by championing gender equality, physical fitness, environmentally-friendly ways of living, and respect for all living beings. They also help the sick, rescue animals, pick up litter and can rewire a temple. Welcome to 'Sisters of No Mercy: Kathmandu's Kung Fu Nuns'.
Ancient and modern meet as a nun uses a tablet computer to study. Perched on the hills overlooking Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, the Druk Amitabha Mountain nunnery is home to 350 nuns belonging to an 800-year old Buddhist order.
© Skanda Gautam/ZUMA Press Wire
Kung Fu nun Karuna playing with rescued swans inside Druk Amitabha Mountain monastery. The nuns of the Drukpa order come from Nepal, Tibet, India and Bhutan. As well as prayer and meditation, the nuns run a medical centre, keep the roads and paths outside the nunnery clean, and rescue animals, including the swans.
© Skanda Gautam/ZUMA Press Wire
Kung Fu Nuns perform prayers at the main temple inside Druk Amitabha Mountain monastery on the outskirts of Kathmandu. The nuns start their day at 3am with two hours of prayer and meditation.
© Skanda Gautam/ZUMA Press Wire
Central to the nuns' identity is their proficiency in martial arts. JIGME RUPA (all nuns' names are prefixed with Jigme) uses a sword to practice her skills outside the main temple. Among the eight 'mystical' weapons that can be used in martial arts, Rupa says her favorite is a sword.
© Skanda Gautam/ZUMA Press Wire
Kung Fu Nuns perform prayers at the main temple inside Druk Amitabha Mountain monastery on the outskirts of Kathmandu. Prayer and meditation are the nuns main roles.
© Skanda Gautam/ZUMA Press Wire
Kung Fu nuns replace light bulbs with more energy efficient LED lights and electricity wiring at the main temple inside Druk Amitabha Mountain monastery. At the monastery each of the nuns has a special set of skills which they use to perform their duties.
© Skanda Gautam/ZUMA Press Wire
Every Saturday the nuns clean the Druk Amitabha Mountain monastery inside and out.
© Skanda Gautam/ZUMA Press Wire
Novices attend classes at the temple. Instruction in Tibetan and English is compulsory for juniors. Kung Fu nuns learn Tibetan and English language at a class inside Druk Amitabha Mountain monastery on the outskirts of Kathmandu.
© Skanda Gautam/ZUMA Press Wire
A nun arranges jars of herbal medicines at the clinic, which is open to villagers. Since the Covid pandemic, however, visits to the nunnery are restricted.
© Skanda Gautam/ZUMA Press Wire
Nuns practicing Kung Fu outside the main temple of Druk Amitabha Mountain monastery on the outskirts of Kathmandu. The nuns practice Kung fu everyday except for Sunday. The name of the Drukpa order comes from the word 'druk', Tibetan for dragon.
© Skanda Gautam/ZUMA Press Wire
Novices practice martial arts in front of a statue depicting Kunkhyen Pema Karpo (1527
© August 18, 2023, Ramkot, Nepal: Novices practice martial arts in front of a statue depicting Kunkhyen Pema Karpo (1527
The nuns perform their exercises after breakfast. All nuns at the nunnery are trained in martial arts as a form of self-defense and to build strength. The nuns started learning martial arts after a break-in at the nunnery in 2008. They sometimes offer classes to villagers, particularly women. They practice every day except Sundays.
© Skanda Gautam/ZUMA Press Wire
Nuns practicing Kung Fu outside the main temple of Druk Amitabha Mountain monastery on the outskirts of Kathmandu. The fans they hold appear like a normal fan but for self defense training it is equipped with a blade.
© Skanda Gautam/ZUMA Press Wire
Nuns in silhouette against the Nepalese sky practice Kung Fu with fans at the Druk Amitabha Mountain monastery on the outskirts of Kathmandu.
© Skanda Gautam/ZUMA Press Wire
Swords are the weapon of choice in a training session in front of the temple. These are only used by senior, more experienced nuns.
© Skanda Gautam/ZUMA Press Wire
