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.

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 Sultan, after whom both the district and the bath were named, is as follows: 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