Photo of Avalokiteshvara Cave Painting, Mustang

A photo of an extraordinarily beautiful 12th century wall painting of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion in a cave near Luri Gompa, Upper Mustang, Nepal.

This mural is in a cave near Luri Gompa, Upper Mustang, Nepal.

Amazingly, the Buddhist monks at Luri weren't aware of it's existence only a mile away. We managed to find a guide in the local village who guided us up the riverside cliffs to a narrow path leading to a small complex of caves.

A break in the rock face led us into the small round cave dominated by a broken central stupa, pages of prayers from inside the stupa were scattered on the ground. The entire ceiling was painted in a graceful pattern of red and ochre with fine black lines; this painting was one of several around the walls of the cave.

A crack in wall of the cave has damaged the painting but the adds to the beauty in reminding us of the impermanence of all things.