New Delhi, Nov 3 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that he was deeply touched by the gesture of Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck in dedicating a stupa in Gelephu Mindfulness City to him, and accepted the honour on behalf of the people of India.
“Deeply touched by the special gesture of warmth and generosity of the Bhutan King and the people of Bhutan. I accept this with deep gratitude on behalf of the people of India. The Jangchub Chorten shall remain an enduring symbol of our shared spiritual and civilisational heritage and the special bonds of friendship between our people,” PM Modi said on Facebook.
The stupa was dedicated to the Prime Minister on Sunday after 108 stupas were raised in Gelephu Mindfulness City.
The Bhutan King and Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju unveiled a plaque dedicating the 76th stupa to PM Modi.
“A special dedication, made on November 1, 2026, after the 108 Stupas were raised in Gelephu Mindfulness City, honours India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Bhutan King and Kiren Rijiju, India’s Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister, unveiled a plaque dedicating the 76th Stupa to the Prime Minister,” Bhutan King Namgyel Wangchuck said.
Rijiju had represented the Indian government at the ceremony led by the Bhutanese King for the raising and consecration of the 108 stupas.
Thousands of volunteers had erected the stupas in a single day, each 15 metres tall and separated by 108 metres, along the Aie (Mau) river near the Assam border.
“The dedication is an enduring symbol of the Bhutan King’s profound appreciation for Prime Minister Modi’s unwavering commitment and India’s steadfast support for the realisation of the King’s vision of Gelephu Mindfulness City,” King Namgyel Wangchuck said.
Rijiju had expressed his “heartfelt gratitude” to the Bhutan King for the gesture, and reaffirmed India’s support for the Gelephu Mindfulness City project.
India had also approved a special temporary immigration facility at Hatisar in Assam, across from Gelephu, to facilitate the entry and exit of third-country nationals for the event.
In September, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar had reaffirmed the Indian government’s support for King Namgyel Wangchuck’s vision for Gelephu Mindfulness City during the EAM’s visit to Bhutan.
India had also committed to setting up an Immigration Check Post at Hatisar to ease the movement of investors and visitors to Gelephu.
–IANS
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