From a malaria-prone forest settlement to a growing border town, Gelephu has changed over the decades. Today, as it prepares to host the raising of the 108 Jangchub Chorten, the town stands at another important moment in its history. The occasion also offers a chance to look back at how Gelephu evolved, and at the people who witnessed its transformation.
The town was once called Hatisar, the “land of elephants”, a dense, subtropical wildland on Bhutan’s southern border.
In the 1950s, Bhutan’s southern frontier towns had no Bhutanese names. They took the names of neighbouring Indian villages, and so did their mailing addresses.
According to an oral account, the Third King noticed the problem when letters addressed to “Jaigon” kept reaching him in Thimphu. He asked his storekeeper to find proper Bhutanese names. After consulting local people, the storekeeper proposed “Gaylegphug”, the sanctuary of virtue for Hatisar. The new name was carried across the country by radio every day until everyone knew it. It also laid the groundwork for a permanent community.
In the 1960s and 70s, motor roads reached the southern plain and linked it to central Bhutan. Gelephu began to grow as one of the trading hubs.
Dasho Wangdi arrived in 1981 as Sarpang’s third Dzongda. Now 88, he has watched the town change for more than four decades.
“When His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo commanded me to serve as the Dzongda of Sarpang, we had to stay at the Bhutan House in Kokrajhar before making our way here. We had to travel through the jungle to reach the isolated guest house. At that time, only three to four Bhutanese people lived here,” he recalled.
He says people from northern Bhutan began settling in the south, including Gelephu. A land resettlement programme in 1997 brought more families from across the country, and the town grew more diverse in culture and faith.
Dasho Wangdi also recalled how Tali Monastery came to be established.
“Tali Lam Therchung, who founded Tali Monastery, was a teacher at Simtokha when I was serving at Dechencholing. He later retired and settled in Zhemgang. One day, he approached me with the idea of purchasing a plot of land and constructing a monastery at the current site of the Zhung Dratshang. I negotiated with the local residents, agreed on the price for 20 decimals of land, and handed it over to the Lam,” he said.
Gelephu soon became a commercial centre, linking south-central Bhutan with India.
A new chapter began in December 2023, when His Majesty The King announced the vision for Gelephu Mindfulness City.
Cranes rose, projects started, and new faces arrived.For the young, it is a different town.
“The number of vehicles, the population, and noise pollution were much lower than they are today. However, after the announcement of the Gelephu Mindfulness City, we have seen an increase in the number of people and vehicles in the area,” said Choden Tamang, a student of Gelephu Higher Secondary School.
Gyem Gyeltshen, a resident of Gelephu, said, “Compared to the past, Gelephu looks much more developed today. The amenities here are also better than those in many other districts. Since the announcement of GMC, we have witnessed significant changes, especially through the various projects being implemented here.”
Now, Gelephu prepares for an event that matters far beyond its growth. For devotees, the raising of the 108 stupas recalls the journeys of Choegyal Drimed Kuenden and Guru Rinpoche through this land.
Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye, former Chief Justice, explained the historical significance.
“Historical accounts suggest that Prince Choegyal Drimed Kuenden entered Bhutan through Gelephu along with his sons. While some accounts say he later travelled to Shengana, others suggest he went towards Trongsa. Regardless of the route he took, he passed through this place. Similarly, when Guru Rinpoche visited Bumthang in the eighth century to mediate between Sindhu Raja and Nawchhe, he is believed to have passed through this area,” he said.
Dasho Wangdi said he feels fortunate to witness the occasion.
“I feel fortunate to be alive at 88 to witness the raising of the 108 stupas. I am always grateful to Guru Rinpoche and continue to offer my prayers,” he said.
From the bush-covered Hatisar remembered by its earliest residents to the growing town seen today, Gelephu continues to change, while its past still walks beside it.
Kelzang Chhophyel
Edited by Sangay Chezom
