This statue is the earliest known image of Indra in Burma. Originally the king of the Hindu gods, Indra had been incorporated into Buddhism as a protector of Buddha and guardian of the Buddhist law. By appointing him also as king of the Nats, Kyanzittha's theologians created a three-way linkage between Buddhism, Hinduism, and the original native religion of Burma. The life-size statue is made of stone. Its rough surface appearance is due to a multitude of thin flakes of gold foil that have been attached over the years by worshippers.