Living Sanctuaries: The Monasteries of Zanskar (2025)
High in the Western Himalaya, the Zanskar Valley is home to a remarkable architectural tradition shaped by centuries of Buddhist practice, extreme climate, and geographic isolation. At elevations nearing 13,000 feet, its monasteries and nunneries are not only places of worship but living records of Tibetan and Himalayan craftsmanship—built from earth and stone, adorned with vibrant murals and intricately carved woodwork.
Living Sanctuaries follows Studio Nyandak—an architecture and engineering firm based in New York City and Dharamshala—as they undertake a research expedition to document these structures and engage with the people who sustain them. Working in partnership with scholars and local community members, the team conducts architectural surveys, oral history interviews, and site assessments to better understand both the resilience and the vulnerability of Zanskar’s built heritage.
At a time when the region faces mounting pressures from seismic risk, climate change, and shifting demographics, Living Sanctuaries explores the cultural and environmental significance of these sacred sites. The film weaves together fieldwork, reflection, and local voices to illuminate the complexities of preservation in a landscape where history, devotion, and architecture remain deeply intertwined.
The film was produced and directed by Drung, a nonprofit film collective based in Dharamsala, with support from Folkstreams and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Living Sanctuaries_Trailer.mp4
The full running time: 43 mins and 19 seconds; Aspect Ratio: 1.9:1
Shooting format: Blackmagic RAW (BRAW)
Directed by Tenzin Tsetan Choklay at Drung Tibetan Film Collective.
This event is hosted by the Weatherhead East Asian Institute and cosponsored by Studio Nyandak, Modern Tibetan Studies Program, the Dept of East Asian Languages and Cultures, Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP), and the Center for Buddhist Studies (CBS).
Speaker:
Tenzin Nyandak, Founding Principal, Studio Nyandak
Introduction:
Lauran Hartley, Associate Research Scholar and Director, Modern Tibetan Studies Program, WEAI; Adjunct Assistant Professor, Dept of East Asian Languages and Cultures
Discussants:
Gray Tuttle, Leila Hadley Luce Professor of Modern Tibetan Studies, Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures
Sonal Sahni Beri, Adjunct Associate Professor, Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation (GSAPP)
Click here to register for the event.