Tidrum Nunnery is located in a very remote area above the Drigung Monastery in eastern Lhasa. The distance to the hermit is about 110 km from Lhasa. There is Hotspring near the Nunnery which is well known for Its medicinal values. From the Nunnery, there is one-day trekking route to Kiri Yangzom.
Tidrum Hotspring
The Padmasambhava create these hot springs for the benefit of future practitioners. The average temperature of the spring is 40 (degree). It is known to contain sulfur, limestone, bitumen, coal, and other minerals. According to Tibetan medicine, these can alleviate gastric disorder, tumors, paralysis, rheumatism, dermatitis, poor blood circulation, and general debility over a one week stay.
History of Tidrum Nunnery
In the 8th century, King Trisong Detsen offered his queen Yeshe Tsogyal to Guru Padmasambhava. The hostile Bön aristocrats forced the master and his new consort to flee the royal court; they arrive here for the sanctuary of limestone caves and hot spring of Tidrum.
Padmasambhava concealed many treasures in the Kiri Yangzom cave above the Tidrum. In the later century, these treasures are discovered by Dorje Lingpa, Drigung Rinchen Phuntsok and others.
Yeshe Tsogyal remains here to meditate for years. For this reason, the Nunnery was built at this particular site. Now the nunnery house about 80 nuns and it is head by the Elderly Khandro-la, who is believed to be the emanation of Yeshe Tsogyal.
Pilgrimage of the Tidrum nunnery
Starting from the hot spring, several hardy travelers follow the pilgrim’s route to Padmasambhava caves high in the mountains above the Nunnery. Immediately below the springs, there is a 15-meter long subterranean channel through which the river passes. Legend has it, Padmasambhava himself create it to drain a lake inhabited by malignant water spirit by throwing his Vajra at the ridge above. The mark of the Vajra can still be observed in the rocks at the tunnel entrance. He then creates the Hot springs for the benefit of future practitioners.
The inner circumambulations lead from the hot spring and the Nunnery towards the west ridge, which is reached by crossing a bridge over the river. The trail then ascends the Norbu la pass and plunges into another valley before rising to a charnel ground site and the ridge. From the ridge, the Kiri Yangzong Cave is accessible by traversing a limestone rock face with natural hands and footholds. This 50-meters high cavern contains active hermitages and famous meditation caves; the most significant is Tso Gyal Sangpuk. In this cave, Yeshe Tsogyal received the empowerment and teaching of the innermost spirituality of Dakinis ( Kandro Nyingtig) from Padmasambhava and subsequently passed many years in retreat. The circuit is completed by descending the limestone face and scree slopes below to enter a gorge containing the ruined hermitage of Drigung Richen Phuntsok.
Tourist Guide to Tidrum Nunnery
There are two ways to reach Tidrum nunnery;
- First is by taking a clockwise trip from Lhasa to Namtso to Reting and Drigung and Tidrum and end the journey by choosing a detour to Ganden Monastery before Lhasa. This route is encouraged for Buddhist travellers as it goes around many holy places in clockwise as we would go for circumambulations. This tour would take four days, depending on the time you would like to spend in each area.
- The second route is by directly driving from Lhasa to Tidrum with a detour to Ganden Monastery. This journey will end in two days.
All the Tibet tours to Tidrum Monastery can be made custom for you. Please have a look at our Guru Rinpoche tour too.
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