Gelephu is gradually returning to its usual routine, three days after thousands of people gathered in the town for the historic raising of the 108 stupas. With most visitors having left, roads are quieter, tents are coming down, and businesses are resuming their normal operations. However, for those who attended and the residents who hosted them, the memories of the gathering remain.
Leaving Gelephu was a challenge for many visitors. With bags packed and the celebrations over, thousands began their journey home. Roads remained busy, with vehicles queuing for long stretches as people waited for transport out of the town.
Thirty-six-year-old Phurba Tenzin from Wangdue Phodrang was among those preparing to leave. He said the week-long event was worth the challenges and the wait.
“I am deeply gratified and content. I was not only able to take part in the event but also circumambulate all 108 stupas. Returning home today is emotional,” he said.
Meanwhile, 50-year-old Ugyen from Paro was waiting for her relatives to pick her up. She said leaving Gelephu would not mean leaving behind the memories of the event.
“Although I am going back home today, I won’t be able to forget this moment. I will always have these memories with me and continue to visualise everything that happened here,” she said.
As visitors departed, Gelephu began returning to its usual pace. The once-packed streets became quieter, while tents were dismantled and the movement of people and vehicles gradually eased.
For Tshering Tashi, a resident of Gelephu, the gathering was unlike anything he had witnessed before. He said the large number of visitors had transformed the town and its daily operations.
“We were stunned to see so many people. Vehicles could not fit, and a lot of people were here. We had to serve many customers, and some even had to stand and wait because there was no space,” he said.
Hotels and restaurants struggled to accommodate the demand, with many operating at full capacity throughout the event.
At Hotel MS in the heart of Gelephu town, owner Mani Ram Adhikari is using the quieter days to clean and put things back in order.
“We have hosted huge crowds here in Gelephu during the voluntary works. But the crowd this time was completely different. We did not expect so many people and had a tough time managing them in our hotel and restaurant,” he said.
For Yangzom of Ningtop Hotel in Gelephu, the event marked the busiest period since she opened her business two years ago.
“All the rooms in our hotel were fully booked. Our restaurant remained packed throughout the event. Sometimes, customers did not even have a place to sit but were still waiting for food. We had to disappoint a few because we could not serve everyone,” she said.
The impact was also felt by taxi drivers, who struggled to navigate the busy streets during the celebrations.
Tshering, a taxi driver in Gelephu, said he had never witnessed a crowd of such scale.
“As a taxi driver, I have not seen a crowd of this scale so far. During the prayer ceremonies, we saw around 30 to 40 thousand people. With a crowd of about two hundred thousand, we had a tough time moving from place to place,” he said.
Now, with most visitors gone, Gelephu is gradually settling back into its daily routine.
As the town finds back its rhythm, the memories of what happened here will remain. The 108 stupas stand as a lasting reminder of a historic gathering that brought thousands together in faith and devotion.
Passang Dorji/Karma Wang, Gelephu
Edited by Sonam Wangdi
