Inle Lake, the second largest natural lake in Myanmar 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 Intha who live in the Inle Lake are devout Buddhist at that the most revered 5 Buddha statues are kept in Phaungdaw Oo Pagoda are widely believed to have mystic omiraculous powers.
The Phaungdaw Oo Pagoda is known far and wide, even in other countries. The Phaungdaw O Pagoda Festival has become one of the most famous festivals for international tourists.
The five images have so often been covered with gold leaf that by now the look like solid gold spheres. Annually four of five Buddha Images start their journey around the Inle Lake in the Myanmar month of Thadingyut (October). The festival date is set every year by a committee of elder monks and trustees but normally it will begin by the 2nd (or) the 3rd Waxing day of the month of Thadingyut and ends just after The Full Moon Day.
The ceremony start with putting 4 images on the golden barge which is the form of the mythical Karaweik Bird.
