BURSA’DA HAMAM KÜLTÜRÜ VE İŞLEVLERİ

Canlıların yaşaması için gerekli olan unsurlardan biri sudur. Bu özelliği ile hayatın kaynakları arasında yer alır. Suyun Türkler için büyük önem taşıdığı yaratılış mitlerinde dünyanın başlangıcının su ile başlamasından ve Göktürk kitabelerinde Türklerin yer- su kültünü kutlulaştırmalarından ve ona kişilik vermelerinden anlamaktayız. Türkler ön Asya'ya büyük kitleler halinde geldiklerinde seçtikleri dinin suya ve temizliğe verdiği önemden dolayı beraberlerinde hamam kültürünü de taşımışlardır. Hamam geleneği, Asya'da sıcak su kaynaklarının bolluğu sebebiyle oldukça yaygındır. Sadece büyük kasabalar ve şehirlerde değil, XIII. yüzyılda kimi zaman bugün için köy diyebileceğimiz daha küçük iskan yerlerinde de hamamlar görülmektedir. O dönemde hamamları ve şifalı sularıyla ünlü olan yerlerden biri de Bursa'dır. Türklerin Bursa'yı fethinden önce de çok büyük şöhrete sahip olan Bursa kaplıcaları, fetihten sonra da önemini kaybetmemiştir. Bizanslılardan kalmış olan kaplıcaları Türkler değiştirerek ve yeni ilaveler yaparak bunlardan yararlanmışlardır. Sultanlar, devlet adamları ve hayırsever vatandaşlar tarih içinde Bursa'da elliden fazla halk hamamı yaptırmışlardır. Bursa kaplıcalarının ünü şairlerin şiirlerine de konu olmuştur. Bu şairlerden Ârif ve Lamii Çelebi'de Bursa kaplıcaların öven şiirler yazmışlardır. Bu çalışmada Bursa merkezde yer alan ve yalnızca kadınların gittiği iki hamamdan bahsedilecektir. Yatırlı hamamı, adak hamamı, dilek hamamı, garibanlar hamamı, dip hamamı gibi adlarla anılan Tarihî Sultan Çekirge hamamı hakkında anlatılan efsanelere ve adanan adaklara, Kaynarca hamamında ise gelin hamamında yapılan uygulamalara yer verilmiştir

BATH CULTURE AND ITS FUNCTIONS IN BURSA

Water is one of the indispensable elements for all creatures. Therefore, it is one of the sources of life. Water has always been important to Turks, as well. It can be deduced from creation myths that start with water and from the fact that Turks blessed the land-water culture in Gokturk scripts and attributed a personality to water. When Turks arrived at Asia Minor in large masses, they brought along the bath culture due to the importance attributed to water and being clean within the religion they adopted. Bath culture is common throughout Asia thanks to abundant sources of hot water. Not only large towns and cities but also smaller settlements, which are similar to today’s villages, had baths in the 13th century. Bursa is one of the places known for its baths and healing waters at that time. Bursa thermal springs, which had been renowned even prior to the Turkish conquest, preserved their importance in the aftermath of the conquest. Remains of thermal springs from the Byzantine Empire were modified by Turks. In other words, Turks utilized these remains by making certain additions. Sultans, notable officials, and charitable wealthy people built more than fifty public baths in Bursa throughout the history. The reputation of Bursa thermal springs has also been mentioned in the poems of famous poets. Among these poets, Ârif and Lamii Çelebi also wrote poems praising thermal springs of Bursa. Bath traditions, which are an important part of the Turkish culture, had an important role in the social life of Turkish people in the past. Even if it is not possible to assert that currently they are still as influential as they used to be, they still survive. Bath occasions are held in Bursa for various reasons. Some of these reasons are “bridal shower” which is held one or two days before the wedding ceremony, “40th day shower” which is the celebration on the 40th day of a newborn, “circumcision shower”, “military service and groom showers” held by men, and “vow shower” which is the celebration held by a person who achieves what s/he wishes. This study deals with two baths located in the central district of Bursa Province and used only by women. The study involves (1) legends and vows about the historical Sultan Çekirge Bath, also known as bath with entombed saint, vowing bath, wishing bath, bath for poor people, and base bath, and (2) bridal shower practices in Kaynarca Bath. Though the establishment date of the historical Çekirge Sultan Bath is not known clearly, it is known that it was built between 1365 and 1370. It is stated that Çekirge Sultan Bath was the foundation of a person known as Çekirge Sultan who lived during the reign of Murad I. His tomb is next to the complex of Murad I. The legend told about Çekirge Sulta Sultan of that period wants to test a person who is known as a saint while wandering with him. He picks up something from the ground and asks the saint what the item is. The person, who plans getting over the situation by explaining that he is not a saint and the name is attributed to him randomly, tries to exemplify this situation with the hops of a grasshopper. As soon as the so-called saint utters the word grasshopper, the sultan opens his palm and the grasshopper inside his hand hops out. The sultan believes that he is a real saint since he predicts what he is hiding. Therefore, the sultan gives a lot of gifts to the man. The saint becomes grateful for not being executed. Thus, he builds this thermal spring to pay his debt of gratitude. The name of the district has been Çekirge (i.e. grasshopper) since then. One enters the historical Çekirge Sultan Bath by descending through the stairs. When entered, one sees a window wall place where the bath owner and the staff sit. There are lockers on the wall where clothes are kept. This place is within the part called cold room. Generally speaking, baths are divided into three sections which are dressing room, cool room, and the main bath. However, in Çekirge Sultan Bath, dressing room and cool room are not separate. There are hot rooms and bath basins inside. This bath has two staff. There is no rubber, a female rubbing the customers. One of the employees is responsible for cleaning, and she rubs the customers who want to be rubbed with a bath-glove. The other person is one of the nine partners of the bath, and she welcomes the customers. Customers of the bath bring bathing materials they need with themselves. There is a round stone at dressing and cool room of the bath. There is a stove over this stone. This stove is used for heating and brewing tea. There is a place called lion’s mouth where water is accumulated in the hot room. There is a warning script for not sticking a candle here. There are five basins inside. One of them is called “saint basin”. People take their vows by saying “by the will of God Almighty and for the sake of Çekirge Sultan Highness”. Women clean themselves in the bath and after that they go to the saint basin to perform ablution. Afterwards, they either drink this water or spill it and make a wish from God. They take their vows for the sake of Çekirge Sultan Highness. The vows can be listed as follows: having a child, finding a job, getting married, buying a house, wishing for the son to return safe and sound from military service, being successful in the exams, being healthy, and so on. People whose wishes come true may have seclusion. That is, they may pay full price for the bath for an entire day. No one going to the bath on that day is charged. This is called sebil (i.e. free distribution of water). Sebil is very common in this bath. Since this is known both in Bursa and the surrounding area, people who are in need wait for sebil. People whose wishes come true may also buy clogs, bowls, and sweepers for the bath. Women, whose wishes come true, have seclusion in Çekirge Sultan Bath. In other words, they pay full price for an entire day and invite their friends. If people other than the women’s friends visit the bath on that day, they do not make any payment. This is called sebil. After having a body wash and taking vow, the owner of the vow offers cold drinks to her friends. After cooling for a while, guests are treated with the tea brewed on the stove and kısır (i.e. a kind of cooked bulgur with some vegetables), salty cookies, Turkish delight with walnuts, and cakes. They chat about important daily events and TV programs. Then come the rest, sleep, and fun. After resting for a couple of hours, they return to their places. The historical Çekirge Sultan Bath does not belong to Bursa alone. Women from all around Turkey go there to take vows and perform their duties after their wishes come true. It is a place where those women meet. Kaynarca Bath, which is known to be the foundation of Rüstem Pasha according to written sources, is a modern bath. The bath also has a hotel. It hosts occasions such as circumcision henna occasion or bridal henna occasion. There is no well-known myth regarding this bath. Before applying henna, it is common for bride and her friends to turn around the fountain for three or seven times, to sky the bride three times, or for three friends to clean the bride. After applying henna and having a body wash, the food prepared for guests are offered. The presents bought by the bride for her guests are distributed. The bridal shower ends with the dance of an orientalist dancer. Although nowadays baths are not visited as frequently as in the past, especially women in Bursa come together in baths to have some rest, to have a body wash, to benefit from the healing power of the water, to share a nice event, to make charity, to spend their day with friends, to eat, to drink, and to have fun

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