At the end of the three month Buddhist Lent period a special ceremony is held for lay people to donate ‘Kathin’ robes to the Buddhist monks of their temple. This is a time for merit making and is a way of marking the transition from the monsoon season to the cool winter months. According to Buddhist legend, Lord Buddha spent these three months giving a sermon to his mother in the heavens before he descended back down to earth. In some parts of the country today, monks recreate this scene from the Buddha’s life by descending a steep stairway lined with worshippers who place offerings in their alms bowls as they pass.