Chuchikzhal is a nunnery under the authority of Karsha Monastery. It is located near Karsha, in the same village but on the opposite side of a small valley. The temple of Karsha, one of the monastery’s oldest structures is believed to have been built around the eleventh century. The main temple building housed a 2-story statue of Avalokitesvara, the namesake of the nunnery. This statue is said to be over one thousand years old, built by Zanskar translator, Pakpa Sherab, a student of Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo. The temple’s uniquely well-preserved wall murals in the Kashmiri style, connecting the structure to the era of Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo.
Chuchikzhal’s newer section, the eastern block of structures, was built in the 1950s, as Karsha Monastery began converting the area into a nunnery. The eastern block contains a Choekhang, Tsokkhang, guest room, lobby, kitchen, and storeroom, much of which was hand-built by the 16 founding nuns themselves. Chuchikzhal was officially established in 1976, by Karsha village’s Kachen Lobzang Zotpa, a well-known Buddhist teacher in Ladakh. As of 2024 it is home to over 30 nuns, 21 of whom attend the nunnery’s school.