Inle Pagoda Festival: 18-Day Inle Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival

One of the biggest and most famous festivals in Myanmar, Inle Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival is taking place in Inle Lake of Shan State between September and October. During the festival, four of the five gilded Buddha images are removed from the Pagoda in the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda and placed on the Royal Karaweik barge to tour around the lake, from village to village. This is one of the significant ceremonies of Inle region attended by local pilgrims as well as foreign visitors. Thadingyut holiday coincides with the annual ceremonial tour of Inle Phaung Daw Oo Buddha’s images which is conducted for 18 days starting from 29 September.

Village Elder, Kayla Village, San Win said “The annual 18-day Inle Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda procession begins on September 29, covering 21 places of Inle region and now here at our Kayla Village. We try to better offertories year after year. Pilgrims are from across the country. Foreign visitors also come.”

Pilgrim, Nilar Maung said “This is the 5th time for me to have made a pilgrimage to Inle Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda – this time coincides with the Pagoda procession and I’m very pleased. I always try to reach here. I will make pilgrimage to other pagodas too.”

Pilgrim, Htwe Htwe Aung said “This is my 5th pilgrimage to Inle Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda - this time coincides with the Pagoda procession. I make pilgrimage every year.”

Annually, during the Myanmar month of Thadingyut, four of the Inle Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Buddha images are placed on a replica of a royal barge and taken throughout Inlay Lake. One image always remains at the Pagoda. The barge is towed by several boats of leg-rowers rowing in unison, and other accompanying boats, making an impressive procession. The barge is towed from village to village along the shores of the lake in clockwise fashion, and the four images reside at the main monastery in each village for the night.