Pidan tradition

Not a typing error for "Pagan" but a tradition that is not much older than the average Chinese Pidan or Century Egg. It is more a custom or practice that has been connected to religion on the basis that the community at large had a common task that they needed to do to survive and it brought with it a communal event.

Decorating fountains and wells with a crown garland and with strings of painted eggs at Easter time only started in the early 20th Century in the area called the "Fränkische Schweiz" or Franconia Switzerland, an area in the very north of Bavaria. It's not an official title but one that was coined in the early 19th Century by visitors comparing the landscape to a mini form of Switzerland.

Water played an important role in the area where water was difficult to store in the limestone hill areas and even into the 1960s, remote villages had to transport water, often by individuals with barrels strapped on their backs as shown in the above German-language video above.

The now quite common, throughout Bavaria, the tradition was a combination of honouring the importance of water with  Easter's renewing of life. It was the ideal time to clean up and repair the well.

While the importance of public wells reduced as houses became connected to mains water supplies, the "tradition" became more and more popular and is nowadays following the trend of many "traditions" such as Halloween, Christmas Lights etc. More about getting into the Guinness Book of records for the most eggs and "Event" happening.

The photo was taken in Ottobeuren with the bell towers of the Ottobeuren Basilica to be seen in the background. No big event happening here but still, it brings a bit of hope and colour into the pre-Spring landscape.