Similar to the Catholic tradition of lighting a candle to honor a saint, the Tibetan buddhists lit yak butter candles to honor a Buddha. Candles were usually set on the alter in front of a particular Buddha. However, in a room below ground level directly in front of the Jokhang Temple was the granddaddy of all candle alters. The top picture was taken by peering through the window of the low-walled building in the bottom picture. Oddly, it looks a little industrial but what you're seeing is row-upon-row of yak butter candles. I believe, the way it worked, is that you paid some amount of money to place a candle in one of the rows. Placing a candle in front of the Jokhang Temple perhaps secured a blessing from all the Buddhas inside?
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