The Legend of Inle Lake Spirits
The floating villages and gardens of Inle Lake in Shan State are surrounded by ancient nat spirit legends. According to local lore, Inle Lake was formed from a great flood that consumed several villages as punishment for human arrogance. The lake is home to powerful water nats, chief among them the Spirits of the Five Pagodas who dwell on the lake's shores. The most famous legend tells of the Inle Lake Float — how the floating islands of vegetation were created by the nats to provide land for the Intha people who lost their homes. Each year during the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival, the four sa