However, most people will visit the temples on special occasions such as their birthday, the death of a relative or during important religious festivals. Buddhists visit temples to make merit, make an offering, listen to sermons and to take part in candle lit processions around the main chapel.
People make m erit by giving the monks food, robes or other basic essentials.
In the picture to the left you can see a typical bucket of supplies that can be bought for monks. There is also an orange robe. In every temple there is a place where you can buy offerings for the shrine in front of the Buddha image. The offerings include candles, lotus flowers and incense sticks. As they make the offering they chant or say a prayer.