A Brief Biography of Venerable Thupten Ngodrup, the Nechung Kuten
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The Venerable Thupten Ngodrup was born in July 13, 1958 in Pari, Tibet. As a child, he was artistically gifted, and had great Compassion for others, including a great Love for Animals. In 1966, he and his family escaped Tibet by way of Bhutan to arrive in Dharamsala, Northern India.
There in Dharamsala, he took ordination as a Monk at Nechung Dorje Drayang Ling Monastery in 1970 at the age of twelve. Nechung Monastery was just beginning to get reestablished, and Thupten Ngodrup was one of the first wave of new monks. Due to his qualities and artistic abilities, he quickly rose to the position of Sculptor Master and Chief Ritual Assistant to the Nechung Protector while in trance.
After the passing of Lobzang Jigme, the previous Medium in April 1984, there was a gap of three years when there was no presence of a Medium for the Nechung Oracle. The Nechung monks and the Tibetan community requested for the rapid appearance of a new Kuten in daily prayers. On March 31st, 1987, the Venerable Thupten Ngodrup entered into his first spontaneous trance, during Drepung Monastery’s annual offering ceremony to the Protector at Nechung Monastery in Dharamsala. He displayed signs that he may indeed be the next Nechung Kuten.
Nechung Kuten. His Holiness the Dalai Lama advised that he conduct an extended Retreat and engage in special meditations and rituals to ripen and stabilize his abilities. On September 4th, 1987, he was fully recognized to be the Medium of Nechung, the Tibetan Oracle. To this day, the Nechung Kuten engages in extensive Meditation, rituals and retreats to maintain the profound connection he has with the Nechung Oracle.
The Nechung Mediums are always fully ordained monks. In the past, they have come from various monasteries in Tibet. In recent times, the Nechung Kuten has been a Monk from Nechung Monastery itself. He is an important figure for the Tibetan people and Tibetan Buddhism, and holds a position of great responsibility in the Tibetan Government.