This is the fourth such journey they have made, meeting local
people, government officials and religious leaders to spread
messages of gender equality, peaceful co-existence and respect
for the environment.
people, government officials and religious leaders to spread
messages of gender equality, peaceful co-existence and respect
for the environment.
NEW DELHI: Clad in black sweatpants, red jackets and white helmets,
the hundreds of cyclists pedaling the treacherously steep, narrow
mountain passes to India from Nepal could be mistaken for a Himalayan
version of the Tour de France.
the hundreds of cyclists pedaling the treacherously steep, narrow
mountain passes to India from Nepal could be mistaken for a Himalayan
version of the Tour de France.
The similarity, however, ends there. This journey is longer and tougher,
the prize has no financial value or global recognition and the participants
are not professional cyclists but Buddhist nuns from India, Nepal, Bhutan
and Tibet.
Five hundred nuns from the Buddhist sect known as the Drukpa Order, the prize has no financial value or global recognition and the participants
are not professional cyclists but Buddhist nuns from India, Nepal, Bhutan
and Tibet.
on Saturday complete a 4,000-km (2,485 mile) bicycle trek from Nepal’s Kathmandu to the northern city of Leh in India to raise awareness about
human trafficking in the remote region.
“When we were doing relief work in Nepal after the earthquakes last year,
we heard how girls from poor families were being sold because their
parents could not afford to keep them anymore,” 22-year-old nun Jigme
Konchok Lhamo told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
we heard how girls from poor families were being sold because their
parents could not afford to keep them anymore,” 22-year-old nun Jigme
Konchok Lhamo told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
“We wanted to do something to change this attitude that girls are less than
boys and that it’s okay to sell them,” she said, adding that the bicycle trek
shows “women have power and strength like men.”
boys and that it’s okay to sell them,” she said, adding that the bicycle trek
shows “women have power and strength like men.”
South Asia may boast women leaders and be home to cultures that
revere motherhood and worship female deities, but many girls and
women live with the threat of violence and without many basic rights.
revere motherhood and worship female deities, but many girls and
women live with the threat of violence and without many basic rights.
From honor killings in Pakistan to feticide in India and child marriage in
Nepal, women face a barrage of threats, although growing awareness, better laws and economic empowerment are bringing a slow change in attitudes.
Nepal, women face a barrage of threats, although growing awareness, better laws and economic empowerment are bringing a slow change in attitudes.
“Kung Fu” nuns
The bicycle trek, from Nepal into India, is nothing new for the Drukpa nuns.
This is the fourth such journey they have made, meeting local people, government officials and religious leaders to spread messages of gender
equality, peaceful co-existence and respect for the environment.
equality, peaceful co-existence and respect for the environment.
They also deliver food to the poor, help villagers get medical care and are
dubbed the “Kung Fu nuns” due to their training in martial arts.
dubbed the “Kung Fu nuns” due to their training in martial arts.
Led by the Gyalwang Drukpa, head of the Drukpa Order, the nuns raise eyebrows, especially among Buddhists for their unorthodox activities.
“Traditionally Buddhist nuns are treated very differently from monks. They
cook and clean and are not allowed to exercise. But his Holiness thought this
was nonsense and decided to buck the trend,” said Carrie Lee, president of
Live to Love International, a charity which works with the Drukpa nuns to support marginalized Himalayan communities.
cook and clean and are not allowed to exercise. But his Holiness thought this
was nonsense and decided to buck the trend,” said Carrie Lee, president of
Live to Love International, a charity which works with the Drukpa nuns to support marginalized Himalayan communities.
“Among other things, he gave them leadership roles and even introduced
Kung Fu classes for the nuns after they faced harassment and violence from monks who were disturbed by the growing shift of power dynamics,” she said.
Kung Fu classes for the nuns after they faced harassment and violence from monks who were disturbed by the growing shift of power dynamics,” she said.
Over the last 12 years, the number of Drukpa nuns has grown to 500 from
30, said Lee, largely due to the progressive attitudes of the 53-year-old Gyalwang Drukpa, who was inspired by his mother to become an advocate
for gender equality.
30, said Lee, largely due to the progressive attitudes of the 53-year-old Gyalwang Drukpa, who was inspired by his mother to become an advocate
for gender equality.
The Gyalwang Drukpa also participates in the bicycle journeys, riding with
the nuns as they pedal through treacherous terrain and hostile weather
and camp out in the open.
the nuns as they pedal through treacherous terrain and hostile weather
and camp out in the open.
“Praying is not enough”
The Drukpa nuns say they believe they are helping to change attitudes.
“Most of the people, when they see us on our bikes, think we are boys,”
said 18-year-old nun Jigme Wangchuk Lhamo.
said 18-year-old nun Jigme Wangchuk Lhamo.
“Then they get shocked when we stop and tell them that not only are we
girls, but we are also Buddhist nuns,” she said. “I think this helps change
their attitudes about women and maybe value them as equals.”
girls, but we are also Buddhist nuns,” she said. “I think this helps change
their attitudes about women and maybe value them as equals.”
South Asia, with India at its center, is also one of the fastest growing
regions for human trafficking in the world.
regions for human trafficking in the world.
Gangs dupe impoverished villagers into bonded labor or rent them to work
as slaves in urban homes, restaurants, shops and hotels. Many girls and
women are sold into brothels.
as slaves in urban homes, restaurants, shops and hotels. Many girls and
women are sold into brothels.
Experts say post-disaster trafficking has become common in South Asia as
an increase in extreme events caused by global warming, as well as
earthquakes, leave the poor more vulnerable.
an increase in extreme events caused by global warming, as well as
earthquakes, leave the poor more vulnerable.
The breakdown of social institutions in devastated areas creates
difficulties securing food and supplies, leaving women and children at
risk of kidnapping, sexual exploitation and trafficking.
difficulties securing food and supplies, leaving women and children at
risk of kidnapping, sexual exploitation and trafficking.
Twin earthquakes that struck Nepal in April and May 2015, which killed
almost 9,000 people, left hundreds of thousands of families homeless and
many without any means of income, led to an increase in children and
women being trafficked.
almost 9,000 people, left hundreds of thousands of families homeless and
many without any means of income, led to an increase in children and
women being trafficked.
More than 40,000 children lost their parents, were injured or were placed
in precarious situations following the disaster, according to Nepali officials.
in precarious situations following the disaster, according to Nepali officials.
The Drukpa nuns said the earthquakes were a turning point in their understanding of human trafficking and that they felt a need to do more
than travel to disaster-hit mountain villages with rice on their backs.
than travel to disaster-hit mountain villages with rice on their backs.
“People think that because we are nuns, we are supposed to stay in the
temples and pray all the time. But praying is not enough,” said Jigme
Konchok Lhamo.
temples and pray all the time. But praying is not enough,” said Jigme
Konchok Lhamo.
“His Holiness teaches us that we have go out and act on the words that
we pray. After all, actions speak louder than words,” she said.
(Thomson Reuters Foundation)
we pray. After all, actions speak louder than words,” she said.
(Thomson Reuters Foundation)
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