Indian businesses and services in Calgary, Canada

Much of Calgary's South Asian community lives in the north-east quadrant, in neighbourhoods such as Taradale, Saddle Ridge, Martindale, Falconridge and Castleridge, and that is where you will find the greatest concentration of grocers, sweet shops, clothing stores and restaurants. Punjabi is the most widely spoken South Asian language, and Gujarati, South Indian, Pakistani and other South Asian families add to the mix.

The Dashmesh Culture Centre, on Gurdwara Sahib Boulevard in the north-east, is one of the city's main gurdwaras and a focal point for the Sikh community. Each spring the city's Vaisakhi nagar kirtan sets out from it and winds through the north-east to Prairie Winds Park, drawing very large crowds. Hindu temples and mosques are spread more widely across the city. Diwali is celebrated in homes, temples and community halls, and community associations run Navratri garba nights in the weeks before it.

The CTrain's Blue Line runs north-east to Saddletowne, a handy way to reach the area without a car, although the plazas are spread out and easiest to visit by driving. Winters are long and cold, so indoor halls carry much of the festival calendar, and weekend afternoons are the busiest time in the north-east plazas. Chestermere, the lake town just east of the city limits, has a sizeable South Asian and Sikh population of its own and is worth including in any search.