Here’s How to Pray at Erawan
1. Buy your flowers, joss sticks, and candles.
There is a counter on the right side of the Shrine and lots outside. These offerings symbolize purity and devotion.
2. Approach with respect.
Start from the first and front face of the four faces of Buddha, which faces the entrance of the Shrine. Approach the Shrine, bow three times, and clasp your hands together in prayer. Close your eyes and offer your prayers or wishes silently or verbally. Each face of the four faces of Buddha signifies a different meaning, such as
a. Front face: Career
b. Left face: Romance
c. Back face: Money
d. Right face: Health
3. Pray sincerity in a clockwise direction
4. Put 1 candle, 1 bunch of flowers, and 3 joss sticks at each of the four faces of Buddha. Light the incense sticks and place them in the designated holders. The fragrant smoke is believed to carry your prayers to the heavens.
5. Make a wish.
6. Donations can be made at the Shrine to support its maintenance and charitable activities.
7. Ring the Bells: Some visitors ring the bells around the Shrine to announce their presence and make their prayers known to the deities.
8. Finish your visit by washing your face, hands, and legs in the golden urn just beside it.
9. Exit Respectfully: When leaving, bow three times again as a gesture of thanks and respect.
Praying at the Erawan Shrine is a beautiful way to immerse yourself in Thai culture, seek blessings, or simply find a moment of inner peace amidst the bustling city life.
When Your Prayers Come True
If your prayers are answered and come true, you should come back to Erawan Shrine to repay the four-faced Buddha. You can buy coconuts, wooden elephants, etc., at the same counter and place them on the table in front of the Four-Face Buddha.
For bigger requests, you should pay the dancers in the Shrine to dance for you while you pray your thanks. A price list indicates the price for how many dancers you would like to hire.
For Thais, life’s victories aren’t solely attributed to blessings from the gods. Irrespective of how much influence the supernatural has over life’s circumstances, these prayers show gratitude to the gods for the good things that happen.
