Kung Fu Nuns.

Breaking stereotypes and empowering women

A group of bald young women, clad in maroon robes, swirl hefty swords around their bodies. They go in for a punch or a kick, their feet leave the ground and, seconds later, they land softly, holding a pose that makes it look like they were merely dancing.

The Buddhist nuns at the DrukAmitabha Mountain Monastery in Kathmandu practice Kung Fu on a daily basis. It is, in fact, a ritual of sorts, just like prayer and meditation.

This is one of the many activities the nuns partake in to dismantle gender stereotypes and promote equality.

“Kung Fu is strenuous and women are often thought of as fragile and thus not capable of doing such a physically demanding activity. We are trying to change that mindset,” says JigmeYangchenGhamo, 20, who has been practicing Kung Fu at the monastery, locally known as White Gumba, for more than eight years now.

For them, Kung Fu is not just a physical exercise but more a form of self-defense.

Historically, women in Nepal have been oppressed, considered weak and inferior to men and have had limited or no access to many rights and privileges that men often take for granted. Similarly, Buddhist nuns weren’t allowed to do physical activities like their male counterparts.

Kung Fu is just one way of breaking gender barriers.

Moreover, the nuns from Durkpa Order, one of the sects of Himalayan Buddhism, are also spreading awareness on gender equality and women empowerment byreaching out to remote, traditional villages on bicycles.

“As cliché as it sounds, we believe in action more than talk,” shares Ghamo adding when women in villages see them cycling, which in itself is a break of monastery traditions, it boosts their self-esteem, igniting in them the feeling that women can do anything they want.

The nuns at the monastery do most of the work themselves, many of which have always been traditionally assigned to men. Many nuns are trained in plumbing and electrical works and some can also paint the building.

They are also involved in rescuing animals and cleanup campaigns.

They can frequently be seen picking up litter around Swayambhunath, a Buddhist religious site in Kathmandu, Nepal. In the recent times, people from the local community have started joining them, giving momentum to the campaign.

DrukAmitabhaMountain Monastery, the largest monastery with more than 800 nuns, is the only nunnery in the Himalayas that promotes martial arts.