The days leading to 1st November 2026 would have made many faithful waver. There was flood, fire, incessant rain and the dire weather forecast leading up to the day when His Majesty the King had planned for raising of the 108 stupas in a single day.

But like the ‘mara‘ was dissipated when Buddha was about to attain enlightenment, so were those seeming obstacles, there was not a single causality from the flood or fire, the weather turned clear and beautiful. And the doubts of how 15 meters tall stupas of 108 were going to be built, were gone by the first sun rays of 1st November, when the 40,000 volunteers over 108 sites had all erected the central column and the gold spire, having started around 3 AM. By 11 am, the workers were sweeping the surroundings of newly erected stupas and before noon, the ‘dungchens‘ (horns) of monks sounded proclaiming the completion.

If there were doubts, it wasn’t in the 200,000 Bhutanese who showed up at the site, despite weather, traffic or floods. It wasn’t ever in thousands of Bhutanese, from all walks of life (the farmers, Royal family, business, civil service, arm forces, students) in the country and from around the world who made offering in cash and kind. It is hard to imagine in any Bhutanese for that matter. The Bhutanese and international guests filling the location – the town of Gelephu and Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) in never seen numbers showed the solidarity and the unity we see in the personage of our King and the vision.

The solidarity was shown by attending Buddhist Masters from around the world, representing all of the Vajrayana schools, and of Mahayana and Theravada traditions. While Bhutan’s Chief Abbot Je Khenpo (and the monastic community of Bhutan) organized the inner sanctums and consecrations, there were attendance from His Holiness 17th Karmapa – Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Thrinley Dorje, Sakya Trizin Ngawang Kunga, Gaden Tripa Rinpoche, Kalu Rinpoche, Khenchen Rinpoche, Pong Pe Rinpoche and Bhutan’s masters including Vairochana Rinpoche, Rabjam Rinpoche, Namkhai Ngyinpo, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and many others. From Threravada, the monks of ‘Walk of Peace’ representing number of South Asian and South East Asian Countries.

It is as if the Bhutan’s border have expanded to around the world and the Druk Gyalpo or the Dragon King of Bhutan is not just king of Bhutan and is held in hearts beyond. It is proof that His Majesty’s noble intentions resonate across borders, age or traditions. Besides being a tribute to the 2600 years of Buddha’s teaching and Buddha himself and his enlightenment, it is an offering for benefit for all the sentient beings.

And the Universe is behind our King, the weather cleared, no mishaps with 40,000 volunteers that completed all of it in little over 8 hours. It is unprecedented in the history of the world – not just this being completed in a single day but if you look at number of workers and the kind. The Taj Mahal that took 22 years had concurrent number of 20,000 artisans and similar number of Great Pyramid of Giza. The Great Wall of China over centuries engaged 30,000 workers. All these workers were state or imperial commission. But in Bhutan, on the 1st of November 40,000 workers came together, who are all volunteers.

And such feat does become worthy to be associated with the name of 5th King of Bhutan, His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, whose first words after completing historic, unprecedented building of 108 stupas in a single day to people was: “Better cover up, put up the umbrellas, its hot” (- the people out of respect for the king who had just come after inspecting the building of 108s, had removed any head gear or umbrellas). His Majesty had just physically inspected the building sites on foot and on bicycle was still concerned about the people sitting and offering the prayers. People’s King. People’s welfare was still the noble priority.

What a time to be alive! How fortunate are the Bhutanese to have the benevolence of a noble monarch and see noble accomplishments in action, including today’s worthy offering to the universe.