Mahamevnawa Buddhist Temple

The temple in Dubai is open every day but crowds swell on Fridays. From 6am, they start to arrive. Dressed in white clothes to symbolise a simple life, they first take off their shoes. One women carries a metal bowl filled with water to the bodhi tree. She holds it carefully in both hands and circles the tree, deep in contemplation. “The bodhi tree is a symbol of where Buddha became the enlightened one,” says Susika Vishwanath, a 43-year-old Sri Lankan volunteer. At its base sit offerings of flower petals and flickering candles. “It gives shelter and shade so we are repaying.” About a thousand people from across the country come on Fridays to meditate, listen to the monk and make offerings to Buddha. People donate food for the monks while upkeep of the temple is provided through private donations.