Bhutan Builds 108 Stupas in Nine Hours and Dedicates One to Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Bhutan completed the construction of 108 Buddhist stupas in a nine-hour window on November 1, laying the spiritual base for the Gelephu Mindfulness City project. Around 40,000 trained volunteers built the structures, named Jangchub Chortens, between three in the morning and noon.

The Project Details

Gelephu sits roughly 240 kilometres away from the capital city of Thimphu and shares a border with the Chirang district of Assam. King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk plans to turn this area into an economic hub driven by spirituality. Each stupa measures 15 metres in height and stands 108 metres away from the next one, stretching along the Mau Chhu River. Builders used steel and other modern materials instead of traditional stone and earth.

Dedication to India

During a ceremony, the King dedicated Stupa Number 76 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to thank India for helping bring the planned city project to life. Bhutanese officials chose this specific number because Mr. Modi turned 76 recently. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju attended the event on behalf of India and thanked the Bhutanese monarch for the gesture, calling it a symbol of the strong ties between the two countries.

Context

Stupas are traditional Buddhist monuments that serve as places of meditation and symbols of peace, often marking important spiritual sites or events. Bhutan and India share close diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties, with regular high-level visits and cooperation on various development projects. Large-scale community construction efforts in the region frequently rely on massive volunteer participation to complete infrastructure or cultural milestones quickly.