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 in building the structures as “a physical form of prayer made permanent in stone and earth”, after starting work after midnight, officials said.

“I was worried that raising 108 stupas in a single day might not succeed,” Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck said in a speech at the ceremony.

“But everything went successfully, and for that, I am truly grateful.”

The ceremony was attended by around 200,000 people, or nearly a fourth of the population, officials said.

Landlocked Bhutan, with a population of just under 800,000 and wedged between China and India, is known for its policy of prioritising “Gross National Happiness” alongside economic growth.

Bhutan hopes the city will boost its economy and persuade more young people to stay, attracting investment in sustainable business, green technology, education, tourism and financial services.

The King established the special zone by royal charter in 2024, saying its purpose was to “create a vibrant economic hub”.

Bhutan faces a declining birth rate and an exodus of young people seeking opportunities abroad.

“This occasion will be recorded in our history for generations to come,” said Nima Gyeltshen, head of the Organisation for Youth Empowerment, which helps young Bhutanese find work.

Cryptocurrency ambitions

The sleepy town, 240 kilometres (149 miles) from the capital Thimphu, has a population of less than 10,000, according to the last census in 2017.

Together, the 108 stupas – a number with significance in Buddhist traditions – stand more than 10 times the height of Egypt’s Great Pyramid of Giza, organisers say, at an estimated cost of US$21 million.

Farmer Thukten Tshering, 71, said he did not understand much about the new project but was looking forward to it.

“Responsibilities at home never allowed me to pursue dharma [path of duty],” he said.

“At 71, I want to take every opportunity to be part of spiritual activities around me.”

Analysts have questioned whether Bhutan can attract sufficient investment to realise its vision.

But Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, head of the ports-to-power conglomerate, joined Gelephu Mindfulness City as a founding member in January.

The site is set to be connected to India’s rail network in neighbouring Assam, with an international airport slated to open in 2029.

The project is also linked to Bhutan’s cryptocurrency ambitions, with the kingdom mining bitcoin using surplus hydropower and pledging to use digital assets to support the city’s development.

Bishnu Maya Moktang, a local resident who attended Sunday’s ceremony, said she was excited about the coming mindfulness city.

“I hope to live long enough to see it,” Moktang, 56, told reporters.

“My parents died young and they would never see the city. I feel fortunate.”