The ceremony was held at the beginning of June, at the break of the southwest monsoon. For the ceremony, the king, clad in state robes (a "paso" with the peacock emblem ("daungyut")), a long silk surcoat or tunic encrusted with jewels, a spire-like crown ("tharaphu"), and 24 strings of the "salwe" across his chest, and a gold plate or frontlet over his forehead) and his audience made a procession to the "leya" (royal fields). At the "ledawgyi", a specially designated plot of land, milk-white oxen were attached to royal ploughs covered with gold leaf, stood ready for ploughing by ministers, princes and the kings. The oxen were decorated with gold and crimson bands, reins bedecked with rubies and diamonds, and heavy gold tassels hung from the gilded horns. The king initiated the ploughing, and shared this duty among himself, ministers and the princes. After the ceremonial ploughing of the "ledawgyi" was complete, festivities sprung up throughout the royal capital.