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| A fisherman on the lake |
Surrounded by mountains, villages, and several monasteries,
picturesque Inle Lake measures about 10 miles (16 km) in length and about 4
miles (6.4 km) across.
Five days Markets and Artificial Islands
The largest village on Inle Lake is Ywama. Each of its
two-storey houses has its own landing dock, and boats are kept at the lake
level. Every five days, a “floating market” brings buyers and sellers together
in small boats on the lake. The markets sell a wide variety of fresh fruits,
vegetables, flowers, and tobacco. The produce is grown on “islands” made from
dredged-up water plants covered with fertile mud and anchored by bamboo stakes
to the bottom of the lake. Inle Lake also supports several cottage industries,
including weaving, silversmithing, and cheroot (a large, dark cigar with open,
untapered ends) rolling. The fishermen of the Inle Lake possess a special skill
– they row without using their hands! The fisherman or rower stands on one leg
at the back of a sampan (a flat-bottomed boat) and wraps the other leg around
an oar, rowing with powerful leg strokes. Standing up, the rower can see and
steer through the lake’s tangle of water hyacinths and weeds. This style of
rowing also frees the fisherman’s hands for throwing his nets out across the
water.
The Phaung Daw Oo Festival
Inle Phaung Daw U pagoda festival is held traditionally in
the Myanmar month of Thadinkyut (October-November) related to regional and
pagoda festivals. Buddhist of Innthar who lived in Inle Lake, Shan State
celebrate the festival of Four Buddha Golden Images. The Four Buddha Golden
Images are transferred by a Karaweik – Royal barge from original place to
twenty-one villages of Inle Lake region. They transferred it by their traditional
boats with a unique leg-rowing. So, these activities were named Inle Phaung Daw
U pagoda festival in memory of the place and the carrier.
The background history of Phaung Daw U pagoda was related by
the King Alongsitthu (AD 1124-1167), great grandson of Anawrahta of Bagan
dynasty. During the travel of Alongsithu around the country by boat in 1120 AD,
his majesty was ordered to build the five Buddha images to this part of
Mahagama village and then the images were moved to Nammu village Yadanarsan
monastery nowadays.
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| Working ladies @ their floating farm |
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| A farmhouse and floating farms |
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| A monastery on the lake |
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| A view of a village road |
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| Ballooning over Inle Lake |
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| The unique beauty of the traditional fishermen |
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| The artificial islands |
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| Teak houses on the lake |
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| A leg rowing lady |
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| Collecting weeds and water hyacinths for their artificial islands |
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| The way of fishing |
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| Lotus weaving factory |
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| Market Day |
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| Bamboo stilts on the lake |
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| The unique beauty of Inthar with their traditional fishing basket |
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| Two farmers |
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| Way back home after their daily work |
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| Working in their artificial islands |
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| The Royal Barge used during the Phaung Daw U Pagoda festival |
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| Boat racing during the Phaung Daw U Pagoda festival |
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| Boat racing during the festival |
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| Relaxing on boat |
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| Boat riding on the lake |
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| A Pa O lady wearing Thanakhar, (Myanmar traditional make-up) and selling at the market |
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| Pa O ladies at the Indein Ruin Pagoda Forest, located at the west bank of the lake |
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Sakkar, ancient ruin is located at the south of Inle lake
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