Making Merit For Deceased

[TopChinese]

Apologies for a funny question. Am just not sure what is the right thing to do in these cases.

My mom had made an offering to a shrine in Bangkok previously. She has since unexpectedly passed away. I will like to make merit for her at the shrine when I am next in Bangkok. Can anyone suggest the appropriate thing to do here? I don't particularly believing in releasing the caged birds. Is commissioning dancers in her name appropriate?

Edited May 8, 2008 by TopChinese

[camerata]

My mom had made an offering to a shrine in Bangkok previously. She has since unexpectedly passed away. I will like to make merit for her at the shrine when I am next in Bangkok. Can anyone suggest the appropriate thing to do here? I don't particularly believing in releasing the caged birds. Is commissioning dancers in her name appropriate?

It sounds like you're talking about the Erawan Shrine. This is a shrine dedicated to Brahma, the Hindu deity. AFAIK, offerings aren't made there to make merit for the deceased. A Thai would go to a Buddhist temple to make merit for deceased relatives. A male would probably ordain for a week. Commissioning dancers is only done at the Erawan Shrine because the deity is believed to like the female form (as well as elephants).