Bhutan has begun a large-scale construction programme that will see tens of thousands of people involved in erecting 108 Buddhist stupas as the focal feature of a new 'mindfulness' city.
Officials and local organisers describe the project as an effort to combine spiritual and cultural elements with urban development, with the stated aim of driving economic growth and persuading more young people to stay in the country rather than migrate for work.
The stupas, Buddhist religious monuments, will form a central visual and cultural motif for the development. The decision to build a group of 108 such structures has drawn attention; the number 108 has longstanding associations in Buddhist practice and symbolism, and the scale of the installation is unusually large for a single urban project.
Planners say the construction phase is expected to create a significant amount of local employment and to stimulate activity in related sectors, while proponents argue that the city's focus on mindfulness and cultural heritage could help attract visitors and new types of economic activity.
Critics and observers will be watching how effectively the initiative translates cultural branding into sustainable jobs and longer-term retention of younger residents. The project highlights a broader challenge facing Bhutan as it seeks to balance preservation of tradition with efforts to modernise and expand its economy.