It was a pleasant summer evening in Bern, Switzerland. It was my first ever visit to Switzerland for a training course in the University of Bern. I was out for a stroll in areas near Bern Main station. just about 2-3 minutes walk from the Bern Main station, you come across a large space outside Visitors entrance of Swiss Parliament. I was pleasantly surprised to see water fountains spread in a rectangular shape and people enjoying a shower. From kids to elderly couples, everyone was enjoying water fountains. From there I entered corridors outside Parliament and came across yet another beautiful water fountain. I decided to have a sip, what a fresh and cool water it was. I was not aware at that moment, that I would have many such experiences in my two weeks stay in Switzerland.
I visited two main cities, Bern and Zurich and saw many water fountains. on the very first day, I had realized that I don't need to carry filled water bottle as I carry in India. I just need to carry an empty bottle and fill it as and when needed. In the University, I happened to see a water fountain which had sensors. as and when we climbed stairs and reached a particular distance from the fountain, water started flowing.
The city of Bern is well known for its 6 kms long shopping promenade. Be it any season, shopping in these promenade is a pleasure as they are well covered and provide protection from sunlight,rains and even snow. At the center of one of the roads in shopping promenade is a water fountain which is unique and draws our attention immediately. It has a statue of ogre who is seen eating a child. I was told that this fountain dates back to medieval times. Various theories have been put forward to explain this ogre statue. Historians may debate over these theories, but as one local guide pointed it to us, the statue for a long time has been used to instill some fear in the minds of children. Imagine a child throwing tantrums on the streets of market and parents embarrassed and trying to manage the child. They have this ready made Ogre statue to get the child under control. Lolz!
These water fountains are epitomes of medieval history of Bern and Zurich. They dont just provide a fresh spring water, they provide a place to gather and chat and share pieces of gossip. Every time I approached any of these fountains, I could imagine a group of youngsters strolling on the streets of Bern and taking a break for water and then getting down to talks and gossips. So much of informal history these fountains must have witnessed for hundreds of years.
some of the water fountains, in areas close to City of Bern have a strong agricultural impact on them. I observed some wooden water fountains near the fields. They remind us of how agriculture impacted lives of our ancestors. Big logs of wood add to the beauty of these fountains. Water fountains in Switzerland depict many historical and mythological figures, motifs.
All water fountains spread across the streets of Bern and Zurich, added a tinge of freshness to my stay in these cities. For a person from a developing country such fresh water was indeed a pleasant surprise. In my own country, clean and safe drinking water has become a challenge. Many of us are spending lot of money on buying water. A country like India, endowed with lots of natural resources has reached levels where drinking water is a challenge. As I breath fresh air of Zurich and enjoy fresh spring water, I travel back to India and wonder whether we are paying the price for irresponsible and unplanned development in our Country.
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