Indian businesses and services in Hamburg, Germany

Hamburg's South Asian community is more mixed than its size might suggest. Indians from every region live here, many of them engineers, IT specialists, doctors and students who arrived within the last twenty years, alongside Pakistanis, Sri Lankan Tamils and a large population of Afghan origin that includes Afghan Hindu and Sikh families. The result is a community spread across many districts, with no single Indian quarter.

The nearest thing to a shopping hub is St. Georg, immediately east of the Hauptbahnhof. Steindamm and the streets off it are lined with grocers, butchers and small restaurants run by Afghan, Pakistani, Indian, Turkish and Arab owners, so basmati, atta, lentils, spices and frozen parathas are all within a few minutes' walk of the station. Saturdays are the busiest day, and as elsewhere in Germany most shops are closed on Sundays, so stock up beforehand.

Hamburg has several gurdwaras and Hindu temples, and some of them serve particular communities, among them temples run by Afghan Hindus. Visitors are generally welcome: remove your shoes, cover your head in a gurdwara, and expect to be offered langar. Diwali, Vaisakhi, Navratri and Pongal are celebrated through temple and association events, with the larger gatherings usually held on a Saturday or Sunday. For newcomers, the regional associations are usually the quickest route to people who share your language and festivals.