November 1, 2026... A Day to Remember for Us Bhutanese!
Some days make history and some visions inspire the world. November 1, 2026, is certainly one such day for Bhutan!
The much-awaited moment has finally arrived. Bhutan has raised 108 beautiful Jangchub Chortens in Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), surprising us and the world.
When our Beloved King first shared his vision-the undertaking of a big project of building 108 chortens, I was filled with curiosity. But seeing the actual 108 beautiful chortens spread across the Gelephu valley, around the Mao River, was beyond my imagination. To me, they are much more than structures. They are a message of peace, love, kindness, compassion, and unity to humanity.
For us Bhutanese, this is a precious gift from our King to the nation. We may progress at our own pace, but we move forward with purpose, determined to remain a friendly nation, a trusted neighbour and a country that grows without compromising the balance of nature.
Interestingly, my imagination of these 108 chortens was completely different! Knowing the traditional ways of building chortens, I pictured masons laying foundations, preparing stone and concrete, arranging nangten, and slowly raising each chorten, one at a time. I even wondered who would build them and whether it would take weeks or months. I was literally thinking a hundred years back!
Last night, I went to bed excited, imagining how each chorten would look. But what I witnessed today was beyond anything I had imagined. Their modern appearance and construction methods left me speechless. Truly, our King's vision goes far beyond my imagination!
I feel immensely proud, especially seeing GMC light up with an unprecedented gathering of our people and spiritual leaders from across the world. Thousands gathered with one common aspiration - PEACE!
This is the power of His Majesty King Jigme's vision, people's King. May his vision reach every corner of the world, inspiring humanity to unite through peace and harmony.
To the world, these may be 108 structures. But to us Bhutanese, they are our pride, identity, happiness, and a legacy. Above all, they remind us that humanity needs more compassion, kindness, and love, not hatred, war, and conflict.
As a lay citizen, my wish is simple: World peace, now and forever! Every morning, we wake up hoping for a better world. Life is precious and every human life matters, regardless of colour, background, or place we were born. We have so little time on this earth to waste on hatred and fighting among ourselves.
We may not be able to prevent every natural disaster, but we can certainly stop creating disasters through our own actions. All we want is a peaceful, safe, and compassionate world where everyone can live with dignity.
May these 108 Jangchub Chortens stand as more than a symbol of Bhutan's pride. May they become a message to the world-Choose peace over war, compassion over hatred, and unity over division.
Long Live Our Kings!
Long Live Bhutan!
