Kiren Rijiju Attends Raising of 108 Stupas in Bhutan

Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs, represented the Government of India at the ceremony for raising and consecrating 108 stupas at Gelephu Mindfulness City in Bhutan on 1 November 2026. The King of Bhutan led the ceremony. India read the minister's presence as a mark of the spiritual and cultural ground the two countries share, and of the closeness between their peoples.

A line of stupas raised in one day

The project was the King's own idea and he guided the work through. Thousands of volunteers put up all 108 stupas within a single day. Each stands 15 metres tall, and the stupas are spaced 108 metres apart along an 11.7 kilometre stretch beside the Aie river, also called the Mau, inside Gelephu Mindfulness City. The site lies close to the border with Assam. The purpose is to present the new city as a leading seat of Vajrayana Buddhism and, at the same time, to hold up the values and culture of the Bhutanese people.

Stupa No. 76

The King of Bhutan, the Prime Minister of Bhutan and Mr Rijiju offered prayers at Stupa No. 76, which the King has dedicated to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his support to Gelephu Mindfulness City. Mr Rijiju conveyed the Prime Minister's thanks to the King for the gesture.

The visit at a glance

Talks in Thimphu

Mr Rijiju was in Bhutan from 31 October to 2 November 2026. During the visit he was received by the King, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, and met the Prime Minister of Bhutan, Dasho Tshering Tobgay. The two sides spoke of the friendship between the countries and of the steady growth of cooperation in development assistance, trade, energy, investment, connectivity and cultural ties. The minister repeated India's backing for Gelephu Mindfulness City and for the part it can play in developing the neighbouring areas on the Indian side as well.