His Majesty the King graced the ground breaking (Salhang tendrel) ceremony of the Gelephu Choeten yesterday, which will be a significant spiritual and cultural landmark in the Gelephu Mindfulness City.

The ceremony was presided over by the Dorji Lopen of the Zhung Dratshang.

Constructed as a Royal Project, the choeten will be a centerpiece of the Gelephu Mindfulness City. Built on 108 acres of land in Dawathang, Chhuzagang, the design of the structure, measuring 108 metres by 108 metres with a height of 45 metres, is based on the Jarong Khashor stupa. The original Jarong Khashor stupa, believed to be the Boudhanath stupa in Kathmandu, is linked to Guru Padmasambhava, and holds immense spiritual significance.

In Buddhist tradition, the construction of such a stupa is regarded as an act of unparalleled merit, with the structure described in scriptures as a gathering place of the buddhas and bodhisattvas of the 10 directions.

The construction will involve local masons and craftsmen, with stone as the primary material, to ensure that traditional Bhutanese craftsmanship is preserved. The project is led by KaJa Design Associates.

In addition to the consecration of the choeten, His Majesty also graced the installation of Sachu Bumter for two key projects in Gelephu.

Gelephu Dzong, to be constructed in Phulari, Samtenling, draws inspiration from the historic Rinpung Dzong. It is intended to be among the iconic structures in the landscape of the Gelephu Mindfulness City, embodying Bhutan’s cultural and architectural heritage.

The Gelephu school, located in the core town, will be a day school catering to students from Pre-primary to Class VI. It will follow the Bhutan Baccalaureate curriculum licensed by the Druk Gyalpo’s Institute, to be built under a Foreign Direct Investment.

While in Gelephu, His Majesty granted an audience to representatives of the local community.