World · East Asia & Pacific · 3 hrs ago
Bhutan builds 108 Buddhist stupas for planned Gelephu Mindfulness City
More than 40,000 volunteers built 108 Buddhist stupas on November 1 along a 12-kilometre stretch of riverbank in Gelephu, southern Bhutan.
The 15-metre-tall monuments are part of the spiritual foundation of Gelephu Mindfulness City, a planned development intended to combine Buddhist values with economic growth.
Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck established the special zone in 2024, envisioning it as a global economic hub.
The stupas are sacred monuments, and most are to hold Buddhist relics donated by communities in Bhutan and several Asian countries.
Bhutan hopes the city will attract investment in areas including green technology, education, tourism and financial services, and create more opportunities for young people who might otherwise leave the country.
The project also connects to Bhutan’s plans to use surplus hydropower to mine bitcoin and support the city’s development.
An airport is planned to open in 2029, and the site is expected to connect to India’s rail network, though analysts have questioned whether Bhutan can attract enough investment to realise the vision.
More than 40,000 volunteers helped build 108 Buddhist stupas along the Mau Chhu River in Gelephu, Bhutan, on November 1.
The 15-metre-tall structures mark the spiritual foundation of the planned Gelephu Mindfulness City, an economic development project.
Officials said about 200,000 people attended the ceremony.
Bhutan hopes the city will attract investment and encourage more young people to stay in the country.
The project is estimated to cost about US$21 million, and analysts have questioned whether Bhutan can attract enough investment to realise its plans.
- Who
- More than 40,000 volunteers built the stupas. About 200,000 people attended the ceremony, officials said.
- What
- They built 108 Buddhist stupas to mark the spiritual foundation of the planned Gelephu Mindfulness City.
- When
- November 1, 2026.
- Where
- Along a 12-kilometre stretch of the Mau Chhu River in Gelephu, Bhutan, near the Indian border.
- Why
- The stupas mark the spiritual foundation of the planned city, which Bhutan hopes will support economic growth.
Bhutan's project proponents
Skeptical analysts
Economic prospects
Bhutan's project proponents
Bhutan hopes the city will attract investment and boost the economy.
Skeptical analysts
Analysts have questioned whether Bhutan can attract enough investment to realise its vision.
The King established the Gelephu Mindfulness City special zone by royal charter.
The Hindu reported that monks and volunteers were scheduled to build the stupas the following day.
More than 40,000 volunteers helped build 108 stupas in Gelephu.
- Stupas
- 108
- Height
- 15 metres each
- Riverbank stretch
- 12 kilometres along the Mau Chhu River
- Volunteers
- More than 40,000
- Ceremony attendance
- About 200,000 people, according to officials
- Estimated project cost
- US$21 million
3 sources
What people are saying
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.
It is an ambitious undertaking that demands courage, unity, and deep commitment. We must do it to prove to ourselves that, as we face the challenges ahead, there is no limit to what we can achieve when we stand together.
This occasion will be recorded in our history for generations to come.