Banya (sauna)
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Banya (Russian: баня) is a traditional Russian steam bath.
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[edit] History
Mikkel Aaland claims that the earliest descriptions of the banya comes from the Russian Primary Chronicle of 1113, where the work of the missionary apostle, Andreas, is described. [1]. Aaland goes on to say that in 1914, M. Hartea told the Finnish Museum Society, "In Moscow, the interest in banya is greater than here in Finland. The Russians conquer us Finns as far as interest in the sauna goes." The Western Russian banya and the Finnish sauna are mostly indistinguishable. Indeed, some researchers claim [2] that the western adoption of the word sauna rather than banya came about primarily because of the Iron Curtain in 20th century politics. In North America, the use of Sweat Lodges by American Indians is similar in concept to the smoke saunas of Finland or the black banya, and was recorded as early as 1643[3].
[edit] General Description
Banya buildings can be quite large with a number of different bathing areas [4] or simple wooden cabins like the traditional Finnish cottage saunas[5].
Russian banyas usually have three rooms: a steam room, a washing room, and an entrance room. The entrance room, called a predbannik (предбанник) or pre-bath, customarily has pegs to hang clothing upon and benches to rest on. The washing room has a tap of very hot water, which is heated in the stove of the steam room. A vessel or tap for cold water is usually located here for mixing the water to accommodate a comfortable washing temperature. The heater is usually composed of three compartments, with a fire box that is fed from the entrance room. Sitting atop this is the rock chamber, which usually has a small hole to throw the water into; the smoke pipe continues up through the rock chamber and through the water tank, which is the top-most section of the stove. A tap connects the water tank to the washing room to supply the hot water for washing. The top of the water tank is usually closed to prevent vapour from infiltrating the banya, and water to be thrown on the rocks should be taken from the tank as this will make better steam than if cold water were used. If an electric heater is used, the firebox is omitted. Most Russians believe the wood-burning stove is a better banya heater, and studies have shown that negative ions are produced from wood-fired heaters, while electric heaters produce positive ions.[citation needed] The steam room, called a parilka (Russian: парилка), usually contains a wood-burning stove, which generates the heat. Beside the stove stands a bucket of water with a ladle. The water is poured over the heated stones on the stove. Usually there are wooden benches across the room from the stove. People usually enter the steam room when the stove is hot, but has not yet been splashed with water. Getting a good sweat on before using water is preferred to using steam right away, as the sweat is thought to protect and condition the skin from the steam.
There are banyas that are heated in the "black" style (по-чёрному) and banyas that are heated in the "white" style (по-белому). In the first case, the smoke is let out through a hole in the ceiling. They are characterized by boulder stones, clay balls, and cauldrons for the hot water. The firewood is usually birch. The smoke from the wood darkens the inside of the banya (hence the "black" moniker). For white banyas, there are different constructions, but all have stone stoves with a tank to heat the water. For this reason, white banyas use larger branches as firewood.
Chapkas, or felt hats, are used to protect the hair, and there's often something to sit upon as the hot, dry wood can be very uncomfortable for bare skin. The chapka also allows the user to tolerate higher temperatures without feeling lightheaded or faint. Chapkas, padjopniks (mats), and a felt mitts are commonly sold in sets in shops in Russia, along with aromatherapy scents specially made for inclusion into the steam water. After the first good sweat is induced, it is customary to cool off in the breeze outdoors, or splash around in cold water or in a lake or river. The banya is then entered again, and steam is created by throwing small amounts of water upon the rocks in the heater. It is desirable to throw small enough amounts on rocks that are sufficiently hot to ensure that steam is fine and water evaporates quickly; otherwise steam will be too cool and have a clammy "feel". The steam should feel like a wave of heat and not be overly moist, this is due to the high temperature of the rocks and the quick evaporation, causing very fine particles of vapour that are highly dispersed. Waving the venik will also cause a wave of convective heat to be felt, the reverse of a wind-chill effect. The second sweat is commonly the first time venik would be used, but it is not uncommon to wait until the third session. After each sweat, cooling off is repeated, and patrons may take this break to drink beer, tea or other beverages, play games or relax in good company in an antechamber to the steam room. A black banya is much more rudimentary, and is generally considered to be less desirable than the "white" banya described above.
Commercial banyas often have only a steam room, or a steam room and a dry room, depending on local custom, or the money the owner of the banya was willing to spend.
Going into the steam room is alternated with showers or baths of cold water, as well as standing in the breeze to cool off outside. In the parilka, people often hit themselves or others with bunches of dried branches and leaves from white birch or other suitable trees (called venik, веник) in order to improve the circulation. In summer, fresh branches are usually used. They are have a short usefu life and smell of cut grass. In winter, bushes that have been dried and then moistened in hot water are used. It is important that the bushes have leaves, so they don't hurt when used. Because it gets dark early in winter, people may roll in the snow with no clothes on, or may run to cold lakes where holes have been cut into the ice for post-banya bathing purposes.
Another kind of banya, called a "pokhodnaya banya" (походная баня, hiking banya), is popular among the Russian military, mountaineers, and other people who travel for extended periods in harsh environments. It consists of a steambath set up in a tent. Hiking banyas are usually made near a riverbank where many big, round stones are available. The stones are made into a big circular pile, 1 - 4 meters in diameter and 0.5 - 1 meters in height, so that there is space left on the ground to make a fire inside of the pile. Then, a load of firewood is burned for a few hours in this improvised stove, until the stones on the surface of the pile become so hot that water poured on them turns into steam. Around the pile, a space is tarped to form a small tent. The banya is ready when it becomes very hot inside and there is a lot of steam. Bathers can then cool off in an ice-cold mountain river.
[edit] Terminology
In Russian, banya (баня) can refer to any kind of steam bath or "Windham", and usually refers to the Russian sauna. In Archangelsk and the Vologda Oblast, it is pronounced "baina" (байна).
[edit] References
6. how to build russian banya [russian website]
