Nestling amidst the tall and whispering eucalyptus trees stands Addis Ababa, the majestic capital of the ancient Solomonic kingdom of Ethiopia. It stands at a stunning altitude of more than 12,000 feet above level and is beautiful beyond description. Though it is cold and chilly, mornings are bright and lovely. The weather remains cold while there is a bright sun shining above.
I felt the weather was very similar to the nature of the people of Ethiopia who are gentle but tough to the core. The country has a calendar of 13 months which they proudly call “thirteen months of sunshine.” The hidden kingdom, as it is described, has attracted the attention of many historians. Addis Ababa is arguably the most beautiful city in East Africa which is surrounded by tough mountains which protected the country from enemies before the time of aeroplanes and other missiles.
It is a city of gentle valleys, rounded hills, thatched cottages which vie with the modern high rise buildings, velvety meadows and hurrying streams.
Addis Ababa means ‘new flower’. They are one of the most handsome races of entire Africa. They do not belong to the Negroid stock and in appearance are more akin to the south Indians than other African races. Their women (interestingly not men) have very prominent nose and thin lips.
In the villages the women look as if they have come out of the pages of the Bible. What with their flowing ankle length gowns they look like some Biblical characters.
Come Christmas, Addis wears a festive look and the city gets colder. The Christmas of 1978 was indeed colourful and the country’s new dispensation wanted to make it even more colourful. Curiously, December 25 is not the X’mas day in Ethiopia. They celebrate it along with the Russian Orthodox church about a week after the entire world had celebrated the great day.
In the night we all went to the St Givarghis Church for the midnight mass.
The night was very cold and chilly but still holy and silent with the faithful flowing in crowds to the largest church of Ethiopia, which is supposed to be more than 1,000 years old. It was built by some king from the legendary Solomonic dynasty.
The church had paintings all over the walls. The inside of the church with its blue mural paintings looked a little eerie and the atmosphere was indeed solemn.
Someone told me that the paintings were done by Afework Tekle, the greatest painter of Ethiopia. The multicoloured long lanterns which were hung in the corners of the church and at the altar which painted in gold looked just wonderful. There were statues of St Peter and St Paul with quotes from the Bible below.
We were heavily padded as the night was very chilly, with the temperature reaching freezing point. Inside the church we came across a quiet and prayerful crowd. The priests and deacons went around giving instructions to the faithful.
Now everything in that country has changed excepting their love and hospitality.
The simplest people in the world they are the embodiments of culture, love and undiluted affection.