Chukku
The Chukku (or Nyenri) monastery was built in the 13th century and is a Drukpa Kagyu monastery. It is considered the dwelling place of Gangri Lhatsum, a deity who protects the Kailash region. It was rebuilt in the late 1980s and now houses a lama and about six monks. A rock nearby the monastery has a "self-originated" rangjung image of a conch shell believed to have fallen from the sky and was absorbed into a rock.
1999, Kim Malville
Inside the dukhang of the monastery, along the left wall are small, metal chortens on a platform, three different forms of Sakyamuni, and some statues of Tsepame, a buddha associated with some long life initiations. On the back wall is an unusual, original image of Nagwa Thaye. There is a squat statue called Chuku Rinpoche which is made of white marble. This statue is believed to be the most important statue of the Kailash area. There are different claims concerning the original location the statue came from, whether it came from a sacred lake near Tsethang or from a sacred lake into India. One popular story tells how an old lady on a pilgrimage to Chuka chanced to enter into a hidden cave near the monastery where the statue was concealed. She wanted to take the statue to the monastery so that people could receive its blessings, but it was too heavy. Ultimately, though, the statue spoke out and announced its willingness to relocate and hopped into the woman's basket to be carried back to the monastery where it is now the main deity.
In front of the Nagwa Thaye image is a conch shell inlaid with silver called Chodung Thongwa Kundrol. According to legend it magically flew from Bodh Gaya, India to Chukku, and is said to have the power to remove bad karma in the penitent pilgrim. There is also a large, copper vessel there that was brought from India by Tilopa. The vessel and the conch and the Chuku Rinpoche statue, are said to represent the body, speech, and mind of the Buddha.
1989, Russell Johnson
1985, Dr. Andre Herold
1980s, (Source: Snelling)