Bhutan builds 108 stupas in a day for new Gelephu Mindfulness City

More than 200,000 people gathered as volunteers raised 108 stupas to mark the launch of Bhutan’s Gelephu Mindfulness City.

By Felo News Desk · Published Mon, 02 Nov 2026 02:14:24 GMT

On Sunday, volunteers erected 108 Buddhist stupas along a 12‑km stretch of riverbank near the Indian border, marking a key milestone for Bhutan’s Gelephu Mindfulness City, officials said.

What happened

The 15‑metre‑tall stupas were installed along the Mao Chhu river in Gelephu, a town of about 10,000 residents in southern Bhutan. More than 40,000 volunteers worked through the night after midnight, and around 200,000 people attended the ceremony, according to officials quoted by AFP and the project’s website.

What the reports add

The number 108 is sacred in Buddhism, a detail highlighted by both Al Jazeera and the Independent.
The stupas are spaced roughly 108 metres apart, creating a “procession” effect along the riverbank, as noted by the Independent.
Project 108 was conceived by King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and designed by Danish architects, a point mentioned in both sources.
Indian billionaire Gautam Adani joined the project as a founding member in January, according to Al Jazeera.
The site will be linked to India’s rail network in Assam and an international airport is slated to open in 2029, per Al Jazeera.
Bhutan plans to mine Bitcoin using surplus hydropower to fund the city’s development, also reported by Al Jazeera.
Kinley Dorji, spokesperson for Gelephu Mindfulness City, described the event as “a big historic and spiritual event for Bhutan,” as quoted by the Independent.
A statement on the project’s website said building a chorten is “one of the most meritorious acts a person can undertake, a gift of spiritual benefit not just to those who build it, but to everyone who encounters it.”

What was said

“I was worried that raising 108 stupas in a single day might not succeed, but everything went successfully, and for that, I am truly grateful,”

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck told the crowd, as reported by Al Jazeera.

“This is not merely an engineering feat. In the Buddhist tradition, building a chorten is one of the most meritorious acts a person can undertake, a gift of spiritual benefit not just to those who build it, but to everyone who encounters it. Project 108 is a collective offering to the world.”

Project statement, cited by the Independent.

“I hope to live long enough to see it,”

Bishnu Maya Moktang, a resident who attended the ceremony, told AFP, as quoted by Al Jazeera.

“This occasion will be recorded in our history for generations to come,”

Nima Gyeltshen, head of the Organisation for Youth Empowerment, said to AFP, per Al Jazeera.

How it came about

The initiative, called Project 108, was launched by the king in 2024 through a royal charter that aims to create a “vibrant economic hub” blending ecological sustainability with Bhutan’s Buddhist heritage. The city is intended to attract investment in green technology, education, tourism and financial services, and to counter rising unemployment, falling birth rates and the migration of skilled workers, as described by both outlets. Preparations for the stupas took months, with the external structures completed on Sunday, while the sealed interiors will be filled with prayers, relics and spiritual texts, according to the Independent.

Key facts

108 Buddhist stupas, each 15 metres tall, were erected in a single day. (aljazeera.com)
More than 40,000 volunteers participated in the construction. (aljazeera.com)
Around 200,000 people attended the ceremony. (independent.co.uk)
The stupas line a 12‑km riverbank near the Indian border in Gelephu. (aljazeera.com)
The project is part of the king‑conceived Gelephu Mindfulness City, designed by Danish architects. (independent.co.uk)