World

Bhutan Unveils 108 Stupas as Part of New Mindfulness City Initiative

By AFP and The Associated Press

Bhutan has unveiled 108 Buddhist stupas in a ceremony marking the start of its new ‘mindfulness’ city, a project aimed at boosting economic growth and retaining young people. The 15‑metre‑tall stupas were installed along 12 km of riverbank near the Indian border at the future Gelephu Mindfulness City site. More than 40,000 volunteers built the structures, which officials described as a permanent physical form of prayer. About 200,000 people attended the ceremony, roughly a quarter of Bhutan’s population. King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, who conceived the city, praised the successful completion of the stupas. The city, designed by Danish architects and established by royal charter in 2024, is intended to become a vibrant economic hub focused on sustainable business, green technology, education, tourism and financial services. It is located in southern Bhutan, about 240 km south of the capital Thimphu, and is currently a town of around 10,000 residents. Bhutan faces economic challenges including unemployment, falling birth rates and skilled‑worker migration. The project will connect to India’s rail network in Assam and is slated to have an international airport by 2029. It 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. Indian billionaire Gautam Adani joined the project as a founding member in January. A resident, Bishnu Maya Moktang, expressed hope that the city would be completed before her death, noting that her parents never saw it.