Butter lamps are a common offering in Tibetan Buddhism and can be seen in both households and monasteries. These lights are offered to gain merit and to help dispel ignorance.
Pro Tip
Not everyone is familiar with the art of making butter lamps (melting butter, making wicks, etc). Place a tea light candle with holder of suitable height inside if you would like to use this instead. We took our butter lamp along to several discount stores and were able to find a stand that worked (to prop up the height of the tea light candle).
Use Brasso and buff with a soft cotton rag to restore shine.
