Photo of Tsarang monastery, Mustang, Nepal

Tsarang monastery sits high on a ridge at 3500m above Charang village in Upper Mustang, Nepal.

Thubten Shedrup Dhagyeling Monastery, also known as Tsarang Dzong or Red Gompa dates from the 14th century. One wall is painted with vertical red, white and grey stripes giving the clue that it is in the Sakya, grey earth, tradition. Sakya monastery in Tibet is in a region of grey earth.

We arrived after a long two day trek from Luri gompa and a sometimes hazardous walk alongside the Kali Gandakhi river, a steep climb up a side ravine and a 150m long suspension bridge. Near Luri we climbed a cliff face to a cave containing an exquisite 12th century painting of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion.

A dog has followed us all the way from Luri. We walked along a littered path to the delightful maze of houses and narrow lanes that was the village of Charang, The spelling of Tsarang and Charang seems interchangeable. A pool table stands by the entrance to the guest house which is full of school children. The dog disappears.

Landscape format.
A3: 42x29.7cm
A2: 59.4x42cm