A model who became a monk!!

Kohinoor Singh, now Ani Lhosang Dolma, carved out a name for her self in the small but quickly growing modelling world of Nepal since she was 15 years old with her catwalk shows, brand endorsing ads, TV show hosting and music video hits. She particularly shot into prominence through her music videos made by Music Nepal.

In 2002 she was credited with giving Cybernepal.com, a major Nepali site for the local cinema and the music industry, a major fillip to its rating. "After we put the blow ups of Kohinoor Singh," said Abhinav Kasaju founder of the site, "the number of visitors to the site doubled."

"Kohinoor is sensational. She's a unique blend of innocence and sexuality, "declared the Kathmandu Post who rated her one of the "Top 5 models in Nepal" in February this year. But that has now all changed, overnight. "To be peaceful and happy," she continues, "one needs to be content with whatever one has and I am following this passage."

It was a dream long since planted in her mind ever since as a little girl she encountered a woman monk always calm and smiling in a Swayambu (temple mound). A strong spiritual experience in that very same Swayambu years later, some deep soul searching, and Ani was born. "I am ready to cope with anything now, even hunger and thirst. I believe it is desire that leads to expectations and eventually chaos." In a nation where Buddhism was born, it won't be long then, that from being admired on stage, Ani will be elevated to a young guru of sorts. For now she has broken several hearts and extracted many a sigh even though, as one fan puts it, she has moved from being "a pretty model to one beautiful nun!" Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.