Arya News - On the banks of Bhutan`s Shetikhari river in Gelephu, the Shivalaya Yagyasawar Mahadev Mandir is being readied to shine in gold – and the public is giving generously to help out.
GELEPHU – On the banks of the Shetikhari river in Gelephu, Sarpang, the Shivalaya Yagyaswar Mahadev Mandir is being readied to shine in gold, and the public is giving generously to help.
As of October 6, the Golden Mandir GMC Fund Mobilisation Platform had received Nu 7,098,982.48 along with 6.925 grams of gold. In all, 1,771 people have contributed. Of them, 1,767 are Bhutanese and four are international contributors, who gave USD 101 and INR 100.
When the drive opened on September 7, more than Nu 1.6 million was contributed on the first day alone.
A Royal command
The Gold Gilding Project was announced on September 11 upon the command of His Majesty The King.
According to a press release from the Prime Minister’s Office, the project will transform the mandir into a radiant Golden Mandir, making it into an architectural cornerstone of Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC).
The work covers the complete gold gilding of the classical Nagara-style temple spire (Shikhara), the outer structures and the sacred elements.
During a visit to the temple, His Majesty prayed that the mandir would become one of the finest of its kind anywhere in the world and commanded that it be adorned, inside and out, with the finest gold available.
The mandir was formally inaugurated and consecrated on July 25, 2018, as a Royal gift from His Majesty to the Hindu community of Sarpang and Bhutan. The temple complex is an architectural and spiritual landmark embodying sacred tradition, communal unity and cross-border cultural resonance.
According to the Golden Mandir GMC website, devotees had to travel to Bihar, India, to offer water to Lord Shiva and take part in the Shravani Mela before the temple was built. “Today, that devotion unfolds at home. Every year, the mandir hosts the month-long Bolbam festival, in praise of the Lord Shiva.”
The mandir has also been the site of significant Royal blessings, including the Dassain Tika granted by His Majesty to representatives of Gelephu’s Hindu community in 2021.
The gilding will culminate in a special celebration on November 1 this year to mark its completion and honour the enduring spiritual bond of the region, according to the press release. On the same day, GMC will raise 108 Jangchub Chortens in a single day along the Mau Chhu (River).
An invitation to all
Individuals, organisations, institutions and well-wishers have been invited to take part in this sacred initiative through offerings of gold or financial contributions until October 31, 2026.
Domestic contributors can scan the official Bank of Bhutan mBoB QR code for the Golden Mandir GMC Fund Mobilisation Account using any participating mobile banking application. International contributors can pay securely by Visa or Mastercard through the BOB Card Zone payment gateway on the platform, www.goldenmandir.bt.
Prem Prasad Katel, Gelephu Gup and focal person for the project in GMC, said all contributions are pooled in a single account dedicated to the mandir’s fund and maintained exclusively with Bank of Bhutan Limited.
“Those who wish to offer gold or cash in person may do so at two collection points: the GPPF Ground in Changlimithang, Thimphu, and in Gelephu,” he said. “Official acknowledgement receipts will be issued exclusively for contributions made in person at these points.”
The donations and offerings for the re-gilding of the Shivalaya Yagyaswar Mahadev Mandir in GMC and the Buddha Dordenma Statue in Thimphu will be treated as tax-deductible expenses under the Income Tax Act of Bhutan 2025.
According to a letter dated September 25, 2026 from Director General of the Department of Revenue and Customs, Ministry of Finance, the allowable deduction shall be limited to the lower of the actual amount donated or five percent of the person’s adjusted income for the relevant income year, as prescribed under the Income Tax Act, 2025.
Meanwhile, access to the mandir will be restricted during the structural and gilding works until October 31 this year.