RENUKA RAI | Thimphu
Project 108 is gathering momentum, with 48,389 people registered as of August 29 to participate in the historic one-day construction of 108 Jangchub Chortens in Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), surpassing the project’s initial requirement of 40,000 trained volunteers.
Of the total registered participants, 48,158 are Bhutanese, while 25,832 are male and 22,557 are female.
The growing participation marks a shift from planning and fundraising towards the practical challenge of coordinating tens of thousands of people across 108 construction sites.
The 108 Jangchub Chortens are scheduled to be constructed simultaneously on November 1 along more than 12 kilometres of the Mau Chhu in GMC.
At the initial target of 40,000 volunteers, an equal distribution would have meant around 370 people per chorten. With registrations now standing at 48,389, that average rises to about 448 participants per chorten.
However, not everyone registered will necessarily be involved directly in construction.
The project requires people for transportation, logistics, food, accommodation, site management, coordination and other support services. The final number of construction workers assigned to each site will depend on the project’s deployment plan.
That distinction becomes increasingly important as participation approaches 50,000.
Unlike a conventional construction project that progresses over months or years, Project 108 is built around a single coordinated day. At 108 different locations, teams are expected to work simultaneously to construct the external structures of the chortens.
The success of the operation will therefore depend as much on coordination as construction. Volunteers will need clear information on where to report, which site they are assigned to, what responsibilities they will have and how they will travel between accommodation and construction sites.
The geographical spread adds another layer of complexity. The project stretches along more than 12 kilometres of the Mau Chhu, requiring careful planning for the movement of people, construction materials and equipment. Everything will have to reach the correct location before work begins.
The growing number of participants also increases the demand for accommodation and other facilities. An open-space directory currently lists 17 spaces with a combined capacity of 9,348 people. Of these, 8,467 places are shown as available, while 881 are booked.
Some sites have already reached full capacity. The SSP site near Namkhaling, with a capacity of 100 people, is fully booked. Lobzang, near Tali Dratshang in Jampeling, which can accommodate 500 people, is also fully booked. The GICG Cricket Ground in the Tashiling ISC area, with capacity for 200 people, has likewise reached full capacity.
Meanwhile, larger spaces remain available. The Karma site at Dolonggang in Dekiling Gewog has a capacity of 500 people, while the Ganga site near Mao Khola in Gelephu Gewog can accommodate up to 600 people.
The open-space figures may not all be exclusively related to Project 108, but they offer an indication of the scale of facilities being organised as large numbers of people prepare to gather in the project area.
The mobilisation is rooted in Bhutan’s tradition of zhabto, where people voluntarily contribute labour to religious and community activities. For Project 108, however, this tradition is being combined with a level of coordination rarely seen on such a scale.
While thousands of volunteers prepare for the physical construction, another important part of Project 108 is taking place quietly at Sarpang Dzong.
There, 20 Zung Lopens and 60 supporting monks are preparing the Zung, the sacred contents that will be placed inside the 108 Jangchub Chortens.
The Zung is often described as the “wisdom heart” of a stupa. It is what transforms a physical structure of earth, stone and mortar into a sacred embodiment of the Buddha’s enlightened Body, Speech and Mind.
One of its central elements is the Sok Shing, or “Life Essence Tree” a sacred wooden pillar that runs through the central axis of the chorten and serves as its spiritual spine.
The Zung also contains sacred speech in the form of thousands of dharani mantras, meticulously prepared and wound around incense sticks and inscribed on saffron-dyed traditional paper.
Sacred statues, precious relics and auspicious objects representing prosperity and wellbeing are also prepared as part of the sacred contents.
Once the Zung is placed inside and the chorten is consecrated, the structure takes on a significance beyond its physical form. It becomes a sacred vessel representing the Buddha’s enlightened Body, Speech and Mind.
For the monks involved, the preparation is therefore not simply another construction task. It is an offering.
Every mantra prepared and every sacred object carefully arranged contributes to the spiritual purpose of Project 108 as an offering for peace, compassion and the wellbeing of all sentient beings.
The work at Sarpang Dzong reveals a less visible side of the project. While tens of thousands of volunteers will eventually gather across GMC, the preparation of the sacred contents is taking place through quiet and meticulous work by the monastic community.
The two efforts will eventually meet inside the 108 chortens. The volunteers will build the physical structures, while the Zung will provide their sacred purpose.
The latest attendance figures show that Project 108 has attracted participation from across the country. Of the 48,389 registered participants, 48,158 are Bhutanese.
Women account for nearly half of the registered participants, with 22,557 women compared with 25,832 men.
The mass volunteer response follows strong public participation in the project’s crowdfunding campaign, which closed on August 21.
The campaign raised Nu 28.34 million from 7,262 donors in Bhutan and USD 85,779.26 from 561 donors abroad. In total, 7,823 individual donors contributed.
The financial contribution and volunteer registration represent different forms of participation. Some have contributed money, while others are preparing to contribute their time, skills and physical labour.
Project 108 was envisioned by His Majesty the King on February 21, coinciding with His Majesty’s birth anniversary.
The project aims to raise 108 Jangchub Chortens, or Stupas of Enlightenment, as an offering for peace, compassion and the wellbeing of all sentient beings.
Each chorten will stand 15 metres tall and will be positioned 108 metres apart from centre to centre.
The number 108 carries deep significance in Buddhist tradition and is associated with Buddhist teachings, practices and devotional traditions.
Preparations have been underway for several months. Project information indicates that the chorten designs and sites have been confirmed, while engineering work, foundation preparation and vendor sourcing have progressed under the guidance of Buddhist masters.
With November 1 approaching, the focus is now shifting towards execution.
The original target of 40,000 trained volunteers was already a major logistical undertaking. With registrations now at 48,389, the challenge has become even greater.
The question is no longer whether enough people will respond. They already have. The question is how nearly 50,000 people can be effectively organised across 108 sites on a single day.
That will require clear communication, careful allocation of responsibilities, reliable transportation, adequate facilities and strong coordination between construction teams, volunteers and support services.
But Project 108 is ultimately about more than numbers.
Behind the 48,389 registrations are people preparing to give their labour. Behind the fundraising figures are thousands who have contributed financially. And behind the physical structures are monks preparing the Zung that will give each chorten its sacred significance.
On November 1, the physical achievement will be visible when 108 chortens begin to rise simultaneously along the Mau Chhu.
Yet what will stand across GMC will represent months of preparation and the collective effort of people working in different ways towards the same purpose.
Project 108 may leave 108 physical monuments across Gelephu.
Its larger legacy could be the demonstration of how a national initiative can bring people together not only through financial contributions, but through time, labour, faith and a shared sense of purpose.
