In Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, there is a temple that faithfully remains loyal to the practice of Dorje Shugden. Established in 1990, the Tugs Bayasgalant Nunnery was built with great perseverance through a ten-year of struggle, and is now maintained and operated by a group of Mongolian women and lay nuns who have strong faith and devotion to Dorje Shugden. The gonpa (main prayer hall) of the nunnery features a beautiful shrine dedicated to Tara.

Tugs Bayasgalant, which means Heaven of Joy, is one of the few nunneries in Ulaanbaatar. Led by its current Abbess, a lay Buddhist nun named Gantamur, the temple focuses on Buddhist study and practice. In fact, in 2008 there were 21 nuns at Tugs Bayasgalant nunnery, half of which had graduated with a Bachelors degree in Buddhist studies from Zanabazar Buddhist University. This was the first time Mongolian women had been granted such an honor.

Tugs Bayasgalant has been blessed with visits from erudite Dorje Shugden lamas including H.H. Trijang Rinpoche, H.E. Zasep Rinpoche, H.E. Zava Damdin Rinpoche and many others, who fearlessly dedicate their lives to spreading the lineage and practice of Dorje Shugden worldwide.

May all at Tugs Bayasgalant nunnery continuously be blessed with the wisdom of Dorje Shugden and continue to propagate the Gelugpa lineage and practice of Dorje Shugden to many Mongolian women in Ulaanbaatar.

The main gompa at Tugs Bayasgalant

Dorje Shugden altar in Tugs Bayasgalant

A close-up of the Dorje Shugden altar

A beautiful shrine dedicated to Tara

The nuns of Tugs Bayasgalant

Abbess Gantamur, the head of the nunnery

An extremely old and precious thangka of Lama Losang Thubwang Dorje Chang that survived the cultural revolution, passed down through many generations.

A statue of Guru Deva Rinpoche in Tugs Bayasgalant

His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche visited Tugs Bayasgalant and expounded the Dharma to the lay nuns

His Eminence Zava Damdin Rinpoche, an erudite Mongolian Lama of the Gelug tradition has also visited Tugs Bayasgalant

The current incarnation of Geshe Tendar at Tugs Bayasgalant

Zasep Rinpoche enthroned in the main gonpa of Tugs Bayasgalant Nunnery in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Zasep Rinpoche giving audience to the Abbess and nuns of Tugs Bayasgalant. Zasep Rinpoche is the Spiritual Director of Gaden for the West

Zasep Rinpoche, the Abbess Gantamur (center) and some lay nuns