The establishment of Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery arose from Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo’s deep resolve to transform the situation of Buddhist nuns. After completing a long solitary retreat in the Himalayas, she formulated a clear vision: to create a place where women could receive serious training in the Drukpa Kagyu tradition, with study and practice on a genuine par with that of monks. This vision was not merely institutional but spiritual, seeking to restore balance by offering nuns the conditions for rigorous education, meditation, and long retreat.

To bring this vision into concrete form, she sought support and authorization within her lineage, receiving encouragement from Drukpa Kagyu leadership to found a nunnery dedicated to women practitioners. She then undertook extensive teaching and speaking engagements abroad, using these journeys as a vehicle for both Dharma transmission and practical fundraising. Through the generosity of students and supporters, funds were gathered and organizations formed to channel donations toward the emerging project.

With this backing, land was secured near Tashi Jong in the Kangra Valley of Himachal Pradesh, India, close to an existing Drukpa Kagyu monastic community. This setting allowed the new nunnery to remain firmly rooted in its mother-lineage while developing its own distinctive community of nuns. Construction proceeded in stages as resources allowed, gradually giving rise to living quarters, a main temple, classrooms, and supporting facilities necessary for a stable monastic environment.

As the physical structures took shape, Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo turned to the heart of the endeavor: the community and its training. Young women from Tibet and the Himalayan regions were invited to ordain and join the nunnery, entering a structured program that combined traditional Buddhist philosophical study, ritual training, meditation practice, and basic secular education. Over time, Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery became a recognized center where nuns could prepare for intensive retreat and advanced practice, embodying her aspiration that women in the Tibetan tradition be fully empowered to realize the Dharma.