Namgung Monastery

Located between Shey Gonpa and Saldang, preserving Buddhist teachings for centuries. Namgung Monastery (Pal Namgung Jangchub Ling Gonpa) situated in the Nangkhong Valley of Dolpo in western Nepal, is one of three, the others being Hrab and Margom. The first tribal community, the Kowa established their rule in Saldang village at Namgung Village. This sacred place carries profound spiritual signifi

cance, blessed by the holy footsteps of numerous ancestral scholars of the time, standing as a pinnacle of the water. During that time, an influential ta***ic practitioner known as Kowo Phurthok founded a spiritual enclave in this vicinity. The surrounding mountains have extensive caves which were used for extensive retreat. The monastery began with a cave used by Rachen Lophel Palsang. During the 17th century, Drakkar Karma Lobsang laid the foundation of the monastery and inaugurated a retreat center while the king of Jumla became its sponsor. Subsequent masters such as Raychen Lophel Palsang and Jowo Ngawang Namgyal, the latter being a disciple of the esteemed Karma Lobsang expanded its activities. Subsequently, Lama Jowo Ngawang Dhondup became the abbot, and instituted a set of monastic rules and regulations, receiving official endorsement and support from the King of Lo (Mustang) who affixed his royal seal to authenticate the monastic guidelines, Since the preservation of this monastery by Lophel Palzang’s disciple Ngawang Namgyal, the monastery had been maintained and managed by Ngawang Dhondup, then the first Nyinchungpa Ogyen Choesang, his son Lachung Sonam Gyaltsen and by the Nyinchung Drubthop Tulku Ogyen Tenzin, Nyinchung Lama Tulku Tenzin Choesang. Masters including Ngari Penchen Pema Wangyel, Terton Garwang Dorje, Ngog Drakkar Karma Lobsang, and Prince of Mustang had visited this sacred site. Presently Nyinchung Dungse Rinpoche and his father Tulku Tenzin Choesang Rinpoche (Son Of Nyinchung Drubthob Rinpoche) administer the monastery.