The festival of PhaungDawOo Pagoda in Inle Lake in Shan State held in October is the biggest occasion of the Lake. The festival is held with great magnificence and pageantry fun fairs and dances are also held. The holy images of the Buddha from PhaungdawOo Pagoda are placed on a decorated royal barge called Karaweik (Mythical Bird) and towed by leg-rowers around the Lake, stopping at each village to let people pay homage. The pagoda festivals are held for each pagoda and there festivals could be viewed as the Myanmar equivalent of western fun fairs. In a pagoda festival, one can find food stalls, toy shops selling sundry consumer goods, magic show, puppet shows and dramas. People young and old simply love to have a stroll around the place where there is pagoda festival. PhaungdawOo Pagoda festival begins on 1st Waning of Thadingyut every year in Myanmar month but closing day may be different according to the decision of the members of the Pagoda Associations. The unique and most interesting event of the festival is, of course, the Shan traditional boat races participated by leg-rowers of both men and women dressed in their national costumes. By visiting PhaungdawOo Pagoda festival one has chance of seeing the different races of Myanmar Nationalities, such as, Danu, Inntha, Pa-O, Shan, Palaung, Kachin, TaungYoe and son on. Among them especially Shan people are very generous and so pious in Buddhism. They are so keen to religious that their names are quite similar to that of novice or a Buddhist monk. Secondly, one may have chance of viewing the very scenic beauty of Inle Lake and its environments and their traditions and customs which on can hardly be found anywhere else. Moreover one could have chance to see the Shan people traditional dances and their peculiar type of music drums, flutes, bras and bronze and such is their physical grace and personal charm.

As for a stranger in a strange land, this glimpse of significant loveliness and this excitement of a people’s native culture will always remain in the heart forever. The large crowds of people gather on the lake-shores to celebrate the occasion. It is really a splendid sight.

The festival usually takes place between the first and second week of October and lasts 18 days to complete.

 

 

There are also Shan traditional boat races participated by leg-rowers. People from all the villages nearby come to pay homage to the Images.