New Delhi, October 31, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju received a special welcome in Bhutan on Saturday, with Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay personally greeting him at Paro Airport and later driving him to Gelephu to attend the ceremony for the raising and consecration of 108 Jangchub Chortens.
The consecration ceremony is scheduled for Sunday along the Mao Chhu River in Gelephu Mindfulness City. The project, envisioned by the King of Bhutan, coincides with Lhabab Duechen, observed as the Buddha’s Descending Day.
Rijiju shared details of his welcome in a post on X, saying he was received at Paro Airport by Prime Minister Tobgay, Foreign Minister Lyonpo D. N. Dhungyel, the Foreign Secretary, and the Ambassadors of Bhutan and India.
In a separate post, the Union Minister described it as a great honour that the Bhutanese Prime Minister drove him to Gelephu to witness the ceremony for the raising of the 108 stupas, an initiative conceived by the King of Bhutan.
Rijiju, who was born into a Buddhist family in Arunachal Pradesh, represents the Arunachal West constituency in the Lok Sabha. He is currently the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet.
According to media reports, each of the 108 stupas in Gelephu is 15 metres tall and contains prayers and relics. The number 108 holds sacred significance in Buddhism. The project is also expected to support local businesses and highlight the friendship between India and Bhutan.
According to the Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS), the plan to raise all 108 Jangchub Chortens in a single day has taken shape over the past eight months, involving site selection, groundbreaking ceremonies, preparation of sacred zung and participation by people from Bhutan and beyond.
Thousands of devotees are travelling to Gelephu Mindfulness City for Sunday’s ceremony. The BBS report said the influx has also brought increased business to hotels and roadside vendors in Tsirang district.
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