The Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan’s ambitious “Project 108”: a crowdfunded spiritual undertaking to build 108 Buddhist stupas, or chortens, in Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), has met with overwhelming support, with funding for 90 of the planned chortens already received.
Local media reported that following an enthusiastic response from within Bhutan and around the world since the launch of the initiative, domestic crowdfunding within Bhutan had closed as of 25 June. The remaining funding will be raised internationally to ensure wider participation and reach for the project.
Project 108 is a royal initiative of His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck to complete 108 Jangchub Chortens—each standing 15 meters tall—in a corridor of prayer stretching for 12 kilometers along the Mau Chhu, a river in Gelephu Mindfulness City. His Majesty announced the undertaking during his 46th birthday celebrations in Gelephu in February.
“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.” His Majesty was quoted as saying.
On 1 November, an estimated 40,000 volunteers are expected to gather to construct all 108 chortens in a single day—a historic spiritual and national milestone for Bhutan.
“The 108 chortens, each standing 15 meters tall, will stretch in a single procession along the Mao Chhu in Gelephu in southern Bhutan, spaced 108 meters apart across more than 12 kilometers of landscape,” the organizers of Project 108 explained in a statement shared with BDG.
According to the Gelephu Mindfulness City Authority (GMCA), Project 108 reflects His Majesty’s vision that GMC should embody both material progress and spiritual values.
“While extraordinary in scale, Project 108 . . . is not intended as a spectacle or engineering showcase, but as a collective spiritual offering dedicated to peace, compassion, and remembrance in a world increasingly marked by conflict and uncertainty,” they emphasized.
The organizers also remarked that they were “deeply moved by the generosity, goodwill and enthusiasm shown by so many individuals, families, communities and organizations who have come forward to support His Majesty The King’s vision.” (The Bhutanese)
A stupa, or chorten, is a sacred monument that symbolizes the enlightened mind of the Buddha. Its architectural form embodies the five elements, earth, water, fire, air (wind), and space, and represents the spiritual path from ignorance to awakening. They are believed to radiate blessings, merit, and spiritual protection to the surrounding landscape.
A Jangchub Chorten, or Stupa of Enlightenment, commemorates the Buddha’s attainment of enlightenment and is considered the most significant of the eight classical forms of Buddhist stupas. Traditionally filled with sacred texts, prayers, and blessings known in Bhutan as zungs.
“In the Buddhist tradition, building a chorten is considered one of the most meritorious acts a person can undertake,” said the lead of GMC Authority’s Spiritual Workstream, Dasho Tashi Dorji, in a statement shared with BDG. “Project 108 is envisioned as a collective offering to the world.”
In a separate statement this month, Bhutan’s Ministry of Education and Skills Development affirmed its own support for “initiatives contributing to the spiritual, cultural, and social well-being of the people of Bhutan,” describing Project 108 as “a shared commitment to the values of compassion, harmony, and service [that] carries aspirations for the well-being of present and future generations.” (Ministry of Education and Skills Development)
Bhutan is regularly ranked among the happiest countries in the world. With a population of just 777,000, according to government estimates for 2021, it is also one of the world’s smallest and least industrialized countries, yet it has significant experience in maintaining the delicate balance of managing economic growth in a sustainable manner, famously encapsulated in its conservative “Gross National Happiness” (GNH) approach to development. While not opposed to material development or economic progress, GNH rejects the pursuit of economic growth as the ultimate good, instead seeking to cultivate a more holistic approach to balanced development and societal well-being, translating cultural and social priorities into developmental goals to create a happier, more equitable society.
Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) is intended to serve as an economic and spiritual hub in southern Bhutan, on the border with India, linking South Asia and Southeast Asia. GMC will be a special administrative zone offering a range of incentives to international investors in sectors including finance, tourism, green energy, technology, healthcare, agriculture, logistics, and eco-tourism. In line with GNH principles, GMC will promote sustainability, mindfulness, and community well-being, integrating mindfulness-based education, healthcare and wellness centers, and eco-friendly transport options. GMC was envisioned by King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck as an embodiment of sustainable and conscious development inspired by Buddhist spiritual heritage and GNH values.
“[Project 108] has already mobilized thousands of volunteers through Bhutan’s tradition of zhābto—voluntary communal labour offered as a form of spiritual practice. Volunteers from across Bhutan, including monks, students, farmers, professionals, and Bhutanese living abroad, are already participating in land preparation and site works,” The organizers remarked.
In raising 108 sacred monuments in a single undertaking, Project 108 is intended to embody the spirit of devotion, making merit, and collective aspiration.
“What we can say is that nothing about this day will be left to chance. Every chorten, every volunteer, every element of the sacred process is being planned and accounted for with the care and seriousness befitting the occasion,” stated GMCA. “The goal is not simply to construct 108 structures, but to do so in a manner that is spiritually inspiring, logistically sound, and worthy of the vision that inspired it.” (The Bhutanese)
The organizers added: “Project 108 welcomes participation from individuals, families, communities, institutions, and Buddhist organizations around the world. Supporters may also contribute through the official crowdfunding platform.”
Bhutan, nestled in the rarefied air of the Himalayan foothills, and sandwiched between the two political and economic heavy hitters India and China, is the world’s last remaining Vajrayana Buddhist country. The spiritual tradition is embedded in the very consciousness and culture of this remote land, where it has flourished with an unbroken history that dates back to its introduction by Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche, in the eighth century. Almost 85 per cent of Bhutan’s population identify as Buddhists, with Hinduism accounting for the majority of the remainder. Most of Bhutan’s Buddhists follow either the Drukpa Kagyu or the Nyingma schools of Vajrayana Buddhism.
See more
Project 108 (Gelephu Mindfulness City)
Project 108 Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding within Bhutan for Project 108 closed after huge response (The Bhutanese)
GMC’s Project 108 seeks to build monuments of peace through collective effort (The Bhutanese)
Project 108: Bhutan’s Ambitious Vision to Build a Line of Prayer Across the Land (Daily Bhutan)
Bhutan Begins Preparing Sacred Relics for Project 108’s Chortens (Daily Bhutan)
Ministry Commits Support to Project 108, a Royal Initiative (Ministry of Education and Skills Development)
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