India-Linked Buddha Relics to Be Enshrined in 108 Chortens in Bhutan
Monks and 40,000 volunteers will build the chortens as Bhutan marks the spiritual foundation of Gelephu Mindfulness City.
- On Sunday, November 1, 2026, tens of thousands of volunteers and monks constructed 108 stupas along the Mau Chhu River in Gelephu, Bhutan, establishing the spiritual foundation for the Gelephu Mindfulness City .
- King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk launched Project 108 as a "test of national character," envisioning the GMC as a spirituality-driven global economic hub to unite Bhutan.
- Each 15m-tall tower costs $200,000 and occupies a 12km stretch along the Mau Chhu River, containing relics of Indian origin that symbolize spiritual completeness in the Vajrayana Buddhist tradition.
- The ceremony drew around 200,000 attendees, while the Central Monastic Body consecrated the site using relics donated from Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Bhutan.
- Bhutan hopes the GMC will reverse youth migration by attracting sustainable investment, with plans to connect the site to India's rail network and open an international airport by 2029.
13 Articles
13 Articles
People build 108 stupas for Bhutan’s ‘mindfulness’ city
Tens of thousands of volunteers yesterday took part in building 108 Buddhist stupas in Bhutan, marking the Himalayan kingdom’s ambitious plans for a “mindfulness” city aimed at driving economic growth.The 15m-tall solid towers — sacred Buddhist monuments found across the Himalayas — stretch along 12
Bhutan builds 108 stupas for mindfulness city in tourism push
Tens of thousands of volunteers helped raise 108 Buddhist stupas in Bhutan on Sunday, marking the Himalayan kingdom’s ambitious plans for a “mindfulness” city aimed at driving economic growth. The 15-metre tall solid towers – sacred Buddhist monuments found across the Himalayas – stretch along 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) of riverbank near the Indian border, at the site of the future Gelephu Mindfulness City. More than 40,000 volunteers took part i…
More than 40,000 volunteers participated, this Sunday, in the construction of 108 Buddhist stupas in Gelephu, in southern Bhutan, in an initiative that combines religious tradition and economic ambition. The act, described by the authorities as a physical form of prayer, integrates the plans of the small Himalayan kingdom to erect a new city aimed at sustainable development and attracting investments. The mobilization impresses the dimension: th…
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