The timkat fête and Fasiladas Bath – the 16th century pomp of royalty, from childhood recollection and history itself

Born and raised in Gondar near the swimming pool which is also labeled as Fasiladas Bath, I remember thousands of white-robed orthodox adherents singing and dancing behind priests carrying tabots during the three days devour of timkat- Epiphany commemorating Christ’s baptism. These tabots are the facsimile of the Ark of the Covenant.

I remember me and my younger sister urging our father to consent to us see the timkat celebration. Granted permission, it was my uncle who did the body-guarding job for us. He used to hold my younger sister on his shoulders and my forearm with his right hand tightly to take care of us from being worn-out by the dancing squad behind a solemn procession of regalia-draped priests or lost.

I remember on January 19 or 20 on Leap Year, corresponding to the 10th day of Terr following the Ethiopian calendar as it is the day for the timakat celebration. I remember many-hued robes and umbrellas of the clergy, children run about hollering and playing with sticks and games, rhythmic songs shake the ground and surge endlessly from dawn to dusk as the church tabots are being carried in to the Fasiladas Bath in the afternoon of the eve of timkat. And in the evening the priests and the adherents whittle in a vigil around the tabots. The next morning a large crowed larger than what was present at the eve will gather around the pool.

Then the royal bath is blessed by colorfully attired priests and its waters are sprinkled on the contestants, who are then invited to renew their baptismal vows by immersing themselves in the water. Then the pool becomes a mutiny of splattering water, shouts and laughter as a crowd of hundreds jumps in. It takes a month to fill the pool with water. The water comes from a nearby river called Qeha.

The setting where all these fête happens now is at one time a place for royal leisure hunts and different formal procedures. It is rectangular and larger than an Olympic pool even. You can imagine what the pomp of royalty was at that time. Fasiladas Bath as some refer to call it ‘’sunken bathing pool’’ since it is dry most of the year through, is assumed to be used ceremonially rather than royal leisure hunts.

Inside the compound where the pool is, you will find a tall stone wall with six steeples. The pool is overlooked by a two-storey building widely said to have been used by Emperor Fasiladas as his second abode.

You might wonder if the royalty used to have swimming goggles, swim wear or hats. Legend has it, royalty used to put on inflated goat skin lifejackets for their bracing dips. Generally the Fasiladas Bath is featured to Emperor Fasilides predating his legendary bastion. But some like Isabel Boavida and et al also prefer to attribute it to Emperor Iyasu II.

Fasiladas Bath

As far as the construction of this complexion is concerned Isabel Boavida and et al on their book entitled ‘’The indigenous and the foreign in Christian Ethiopian art: on Portuguese Ethiopia Contact in the 16^th -17^th centuries’’ wrote that ‘’Fasileds Bath was most probably not built by Fasiledes.’’ they reasoned out that ‘’after expelling the Jesuits and brining and returning the empire to Orthodoxy , Fasiledes would hardly have started reproducing their buildings, and there is no record of his being a sovereign given to exotic interests such as swimming in landscaped guards. Empress Mintwab and Iyasu II however, are known to have taken interest in foreign cultures and to have built in a ‘Renaissance revival’ style as at Mintwwab’s palace at Qusquam, built in the 1730’s. Furthermore, Iyasu II is known to have taken a great interest in Azazo – Ganata Iyasus, where … he is reported to build a large villa.’’

In conclusion they said that ‘’ we are therefore inclined to ascribe the construction of the Fasiladas Bath to Mintiwwab or Iyasu II, the design being based on the water garden at Ganata Iyasus. ‘’

Whoever built the ‘’Fasileds Bath’’ it is crystal clear that the then Abyssian kings were able to drain brains from all over the world as it represents a unique mixture of influence from Europe, India and Arabia, firmly fused and developed within the indigenous tradition.

In the next edition I will share you about the Turkish bath in Gondar as they still prefer to call it Wesheba which apparently worked wonders for those suffering from syphilis.

By Wondwossen W. Mebrat

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Tour Operator – Feres Meda Tour and Travel