On Sunday, 1 November 2026, Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck dedicated Stupa 76 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Gelephu Mindfulness City. The dedication took place during a ceremony to raise and consecrate 108 Buddhist stupas, also known as Jangchub Chortens or Stupas of Enlightenment.
Stupa dedication ceremony
Each of the 108 stupas is 15 metres tall. Approximately 40,000 volunteers erected them in about nine hours along the Mau Chhu (Aie) River, near the border with Assam. Bhutanese officials said Stupa 76 was chosen because Modi had turned 76 more than a month earlier. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju represented India and conveyed Modi’s gratitude to the King.
India–Bhutan ties and Gelephu project
The dedication recognised Modi’s vision and commitment to strengthening India–Bhutan friendship, as well as India’s support for the Gelephu Mindfulness City project. The ceremony coincided with Lhabab Duchen. King Wangchuck envisions the city as a global economic hub combining spirituality and economic growth, with ecological sustainability and citizens’ well-being as priorities.
Important Facts for Exams
- Eight Great Stupas: The eight major stupas in Tibetan Buddhism commemorate distinct episodes in the Buddha’s life; the Enlightenment Stupa marks his awakening at Bodh Gaya.
- Lhabab Duchen observance: Lhabab Duchen commemorates the Buddha’s return to earth after teaching his mother in the celestial realm of Trāyastriṃśa.
- Friendship Treaty revision: The 2007 India–Bhutan Friendship Treaty replaced the 1949 treaty’s requirement that Bhutan be guided by India on external relations with provisions for close cooperation.
- Gelephu’s administrative status: Bhutan announced Gelephu Mindfulness City as a Special Administrative Region, intended to have distinct governance and economic frameworks under Bhutan’s constitutional order.
