The enduring spiritual connection between Bhutan and the late Choje Ayang Rinpoche, a renowned Phowa master who visited the country many times to teach, is being remembered through Project 108, with his son, Palchen Galo Rinpoche, offering a Jangchub Chorten in his memory.
Ayang Rinpoche held Bhutan in deep affection and developed a close connection with Bhutanese practitioners through his repeated visits and teachings. He spoke with great admiration of his Bhutanese disciples and their devotion to the Buddha-Dharma, leaving behind a relationship that continues to be remembered by those connected to his teachings.
For Palchen Galo Rinpoche, the offering represents a personal act of remembrance and an expression of respect for his father’s life and spiritual work. Ayang Rinpoche devoted his life to Buddhist teachings and to guiding beings towards liberation, and the chorten offered in his memory provides a lasting connection between that legacy and Bhutan.
The offering is being made as part of Project 108, an initiative centred on the construction of 108 Jangchub Chortens in Gelephu. The project has brought together individual offerings and participation around a shared Buddhist undertaking.
According to the project’s official information, the 108 chortens will be constructed along the Mau Chhu corridor. Each structure will stand 15 metres high and will be positioned 108 metres apart. All 108 chortens are scheduled to be raised together on November 1, 2026.
The scale and organisation of the project give individual offerings a collective significance. Each contribution becomes part of a larger religious installation that is being developed in Gelephu, bringing together people who wish to participate in the initiative through offerings and support.
Palchen Galo Rinpoche’s contribution also reflects the continuing relationship between Bhutan and Buddhist teachers from outside the country. Ayang Rinpoche’s visits to Bhutan were marked by teachings and interactions with practitioners, strengthening a spiritual connection that extended across generations.
His association with Bhutan was not limited to a single visit or event. His repeated journeys to the country allowed him to meet Bhutanese disciples and observe their commitment to Buddhist practice. His appreciation for their devotion remains an important part of the connection remembered through the offering.
For Palchen Galo Rinpoche, dedicating a Jangchub Chorten to his late father gives that personal connection a permanent expression within a wider national project. The offering brings together family remembrance and religious devotion while acknowledging Ayang Rinpoche’s longstanding relationship with Bhutan.
Project 108 is being undertaken in Gelephu in connection with the broader development of Gelephu Mindfulness City and the vision associated with its development. The chortens are intended to form a distinctive Buddhist installation within the area and will stand together as 108 structures under one coordinated project.
The initiative has also received support from people beyond Bhutan. Contributions recorded through the project demonstrate participation by individuals connected to the undertaking both within the country and internationally. The involvement of Palchen Galo Rinpoche adds another link to the wider Buddhist community associated with the project.
The significance of the offering therefore extends beyond the individual chorten. It places the memory of Ayang Rinpoche within a collective religious undertaking in Bhutan and acknowledges the relationship he developed with the country during his lifetime.
For Bhutanese practitioners who remember his teachings, the contribution provides another connection to a teacher who repeatedly travelled to Bhutan and expressed admiration for the dedication of his disciples. For the family, it serves as a tribute to a father whose life was centred on Buddhist practice and spiritual guidance.
Palchen Galo Rinpoche has also expressed his joy at being part of Project 108 and his wish for the successful fulfilment of His Majesty The King’s vision. His participation adds a personal dimension to the project while supporting its stated purpose of bringing together 108 Jangchub Chortens in Gelephu.
As preparations continue for the construction of the chortens, the offering keeps alive a connection formed through years of teaching and spiritual practice. Ayang Rinpoche’s relationship with Bhutan is now represented through his son’s contribution to a project that brings together individual acts of devotion under one national initiative.
The Jangchub Chorten offered in his memory will stand not simply as a family tribute, but as part of the larger collection of 108 structures planned for Gelephu. In this way, the memory of Ayang Rinpoche remains connected with Bhutan and with the Buddhist devotion that defined his relationship with the country.
The offering also preserves a story of spiritual friendship, remembrance and devotion, carried forward through a generation of Buddhist practitioners.
