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Information for Inle
Lake & Phaung Daw Oo Festival
Inle Lake, the second largest natural and unpolluted lake in Myanmar is located in the middle of the greatest depression in Nyaungshwe valley between the two parallel mountain ranges running north to south in the southern Shan State. The lake is famous for its scenic beauty and the unique leg-rowing of Inthas, the native lake dwellers. There are many floating islands in the vast lake of Inle, 22 km long and 10km wide. Heya Ywama, one of the islands where the temple of Phaung Daw Oo pagoda exists is a small village.
The temple or depository houses five Buddha images and collectively renown as Phaung Daw Oo images. These images have a long history back to Alung Sithu of Bagan. He brought these images there on his visit to Inle Lake. Phaung Daw Oo images are widely believed to have mystic miraculous powers. Thus, the Buddha statues have been gilded throughout the length of time by many devotees from all over the country and they even lost the original shape and seem solid masses of pure gold.
The greatest event of the Phaung Daw Oo Buddha images is held on a grand scale in the month of October (sometimes in September). It is the time of transition from the rainy to the cold season. The monsoon is gone and the whole country everywhere looks pleasant. It can be regarded as pagoda festival season as famous pagoda festivals are held and Phung Daw Oo pagoda festival is the first among these. It is the biggest occasion at the Inle Lake because it is not only held at the place where the pagoda is situated.
Four Buddha images with a substitute fifth one out of five from Phaung Daw Oo pagoda are carried on a decorated royal barge (called Karaweik) and conveyed around 14 villages on the lake during 15
-festival days. The fifth smallest one with the substitute four Buddhas remain
at Namhu monestery for people to pay homage. The barge is drawn by boats of leg-rowers and hundreds of boats follow the procession. The large crowds of people gather on the lake-shores to celebrate the occasion. The pagoda festival is held in every village, where the barge stops. People pay homage and offer flowers, alms, water and a variety of fruits to the Buddha images.
The most interesting event of the festival, especially for foreigners is their boat race due to their unique leg rowing. Boat races are held during the festival and on the last day. Usually a race is taken place with three long boats, containing one hundred people each, standing upright and rowing with their legs in the traditional Inle style. It is the one and only place in the world where one can see such marvelous act.
Even when it is not festival time, it is very interesting to observe the Intha's lifestyle on the lake, floating farms and the most famous floating market which being held at Ywama village every five days.
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