Inle Lake Comes Alive

Inle Lake in Shan State is home to not just an abundance of aquatic and riparian species. It is also where you will find a thriving community of people who live and work off these majestic waters.

Inle Lake sits in a valley. By its side are two ranges that make up the Shan Hills of Myanmar. The Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda lies nearby, which is the most revered religious site in the region. It houses 5 golden Buddha images that are covered in gold leaves, each of them about 800 years old.

The ancient images were believed to have been brought by King Alaungsithu who reigned from AD 1112 to 1167 of the Pagan Dynasty. He was an enthusiastic devotee who campaigned for numerous pagodas to be built and an avid traveller who loved to spend his time journeying through the kingdom. In one of his travels, he stopped by Inle Lake and since then the place has been marked as a sacred place and the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda was built.

Festival On The Lake

On the month of Thadingyut, seventh month of the Burmese lunar calendar, the state’s most famous festival is celebrated where the images are moved following a boat procession that travels around Inle Lake before settling in the main monastery for a night.

The Phaung Daw Oo pagoda festival is held annually for 18 days where four out of the five Buddha images are moved from the shrine to the Royal Karaweik Barge. The barge is shaped like a large Karaweik bird in the front and bears the gilded tail at the back.

Accompanied by several smaller boats, the procession is manned by one-legged rowers in colourful costumes. The sight of hundreds of rowers as they pull the barge along makes for a glorious view as the ceremonial boat moves from village to village, circling around 14 in total.

An interesting fact to know is that the fifth image is left behind at the pagoda every year. According to legend, all five were initially moved together in 1965 but the boat capsized, causing the sacred images to fall into the lake. Many people dived in to recover them, but only 4 were found. Multiple attempts were made to search for the remaining statue but it was in vain. The distressed pilgrims returned to the pagoda, only to discover that the fifth image was miraculously back in the shrine as if it had never left!

One-Legged Boatmen

A highlight to watch is the famous one-legged boat race that takes place near the pagoda. It is held on the last day of the festival with several teams competing, each representing different villages. The teams often train for months leading up to the festival to win the title of champion. They row while standing upright with an oar attached to one leg. The number of rowers on each boat differs via category - 100, 46, and 26 rowers for men, 26 for women, and 26 or 46 for boys. About 12 to 15 groups participate in the 100 rowers category, so it is quite a spectacle to witness the long boats speeding against the waters as the rowers pull and push with all their might in one, synchronized rhythm.

Locals cheer enthusiastically for their team and celebrate the end of the day with plenty of dancing. Win or lose, the racers are equally happy to make merry because the main purpose of the race is to maintain their customs and the prize money is used to repair their boats.

The one-legged boat race has long been an iconic tradition of Inle Lake, but it was made popular by the local fishermen that live on its waters.

Known as the Intha people, their unique rowing style evolved from a time when the lake was covered by reeds and floating plants. It made it difficult for the rowers to see while sitting, so they rowed while standing. It provided a clearer view and left their hands free to handle their fishing nets while keeping an eye out for nearby fish. It is really impressive to watch them balance on the boat with one leg and manipulate their nets while rowing the boat, all at the same time!

This practice is believed to date back to the 12th century and has been passed down generation to generation since. It’s not easy for the average person to balance on a rocking boat using only one leg, but it comes naturally to the people who have lived on water their whole life. After all, ‘Intha’ translates to ‘Children of the Lake.’

The Intha people live on stilt houses made from bamboo and wood, commonly known as the floating villages. The light structure and small gaps in the walls let air in with plenty of ventilation. Dawn sees the villagers tending to their ‘floating gardens’ from their boat, in the early haze of the morning mist.

Gardens Afloat With Produce

The ‘floating gardens’ are actually created by matted reeds and plants that are mixed with mud to form a solid surface, ideal for fertilisation. The gardens are then secured with bamboo sticks that are attached to the bottom of the lake to prevent the precious soil from floating away. This is an ingenious method for food production as it is flood-resistant and the easy access to water provides a suitable climate to grow certain vegetables all year round, particularly tomatoes and potatoes.

Once the produce is harvested, the people bring their items to trade and sell at the lakeside market. With its colourful array of various goods and boats navigating the channel, the lakeside market is a lively place buzzing with excitement. Traders call out greetings to each other as the women display fresh fruits and vegetables for sale. Other vendors include items such as flowers, kindling, tobacco and cooking ingredients. Tourists often drop by here to get a feel of the local market and leave awed by how easily the boats can navigate in the cramped space.

There are many things to see at Inle Lake, and the Intha people are a huge part of the region’s culture. With their unique lifestyle and one-legged fishing tradition, pay them a visit and see for yourself how the lake comes alive with the excitement of boat races and the fishermen rowing with one leg against the mesmerising sunset, a picturesque wonder to take in.