The Bhutanese Leading the way.
With the country set to witness the historic raising of 108 Jangchub Chortens on 1st November in Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), and with a large number of people moving to GMC, the question being asked is whether a national holiday or holidays will be declared.
There has been much speculation that the government may declare national holidays for 2nd, 3rd and 4th November, as 1st November is already a holiday. However, a senior government figure said there are no plans to do so.
The main concern within the government and among the organizers is that declaring holidays could draw even larger numbers to GMC.
As of Friday afternoon, 123,444 people had registered, and the number is expected to rise as the event draws closer. The actual turnout could be higher still, as children are not registered and many people will likely turn up without registering. The initial plan was to prepare for around 100,000 visitors, but given the swelling registrations, arrangements are being made for more.
Registration is important because it allows organizers to collect valuable data on who is coming and in what circumstances. One question is whether people have arrangements to stay. For those who do not, large areas with simple tents are being provided. In one major settlement, for example, around 25,000 to 30,000 people can be accommodated, and around 1,000 pit latrines are being built for that area alone. Many people are also making private arrangements with providers who offer more complete services, some even including meals.
There will be no mass feeding, as this is logistically almost impossible. Instead, food courts are being set up outside the prayer grounds and near the major settlements. At these food courts, non-vegetarian meals are capped at Nu 210 and vegetarian meals at Nu 190, with all other items priced lower. The price controls are also meant to ensure that people do not have to cook much or use too many open fires.
Space in the prayer grounds opposite the Chortens will not be a major issue, as it is open ground. The major settlements will be near the prayer grounds, within walking distance for those staying there. Many toilets will also be built along the way to the prayer grounds.
For crowd management, registration is important because it assigns people to particular areas. If a family is separated because its members registered at different times, however, they can go to one place together.
To keep people safe from elephants, forest rangers have been patrolling and mapping hotspots.
Landscaping around the 108 Chortens has been underway since 7th October, with 307 people from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests and another 800 volunteers who arrive in batches of around 100 at a time. There are 3,000 volunteers for the camp areas, arriving in groups of 100 or 200 at a time to work. Volunteers have come not only from Sarpang but also from Tsirang, Dagana and Zhemgang, and people have brought machinery, Boleros, trucks and more to help.
The whole of Gelephu is getting a facelift, with local residents and schools doing a lot of volunteer cleaning and other work.
The Program
The first day will feature the raising of the 108 Jangchub Chortens, each 15 meters tall, starting at 3 am on 1st November.
At around 9:30 am, His Majesty The King will inaugurate the Yoeja, a sacred Buddhist practice of offering alms by the people, a gesture of prayer and an expression of compassion and generosity.
From around 3 pm and through the evening, once construction of the Jangchub Chortens is complete, the Tashi Drub will be conducted.
The second day begins early, at 6:30 am, with the official Tashi Rabney ceremony for the 108 Chortens, along with continued mani recitations.
The third and fourth days are reserved for spiritual empowerments such as Wang and Lung, conferred by prominent domestic and international religious figures, including the Je Khenpo, the Five Lopens and various Rinpoches.
The 108 Chortens will also be open for circumambulation (kora). The entire site stretches over 13 kilometers.
