Bigu Gumba--Tashi Gyachhal Nunnery

It's my pleasure to welcome you in the new episode of "Beauty and Perfection: The Gaurishanker Himalayas". In my last post, I had described the Kalinchok Area through the multiple arenas. Since Kalinchok and Bigu are located in similar land setting and are adjacent to each other, I am writing about these in a row so that my readers won't get confused. And, I'm also thinking of being less wordy and more pictorial. Hope you will enjoy a pictorial tour de Bigu Gumba :D

Entrance Gate of the Bigu Gumpa

Stupa encountered immediately after entering into the Bigu Gumpa Complex

View of the Bigu Gumpa with Stupa

Frontal View of the Bigu Gumpa

Bigu Gumba, also called Tashi Gyachhal Nunnery is probably the oldest nunnery of Dolakha with a century long history. It is situated in Bigu VDC of Northern Dolakha at an altitude of around 2500 meter from sea level. Sherpa are the major inhabitants of the area. So, one can experience the typical Sherpa culture, and also accompanied by the Thangmi (Thami).

Way of welcoming in Sherpa Culture. The scarf in hand is called 'Khada',
the sacred cloths with Buddhist mantras on it

This nunnery teaches the nuns, who come to nunnery as their own wish. Recently, with an increasing necessity of modern educational system, the Nunnery also started teaching the regular school classes up to grade 5 with specialization on Tibetan script and Buddhist philosophy.

Nuns leaving for their Hostels after completing morning prayer's in the Gumpa

The Bigu Gumpa Complex