Indian businesses and services in Zurich, Switzerland

Two quite different South Asian communities share Zurich. One is professional and relatively recent: Indian engineers, bankers, researchers at ETH and the university, and staff of the technology and pharmaceutical companies in and around the city. The other is the Sri Lankan Tamil community, which grew from people who sought refuge in Switzerland from the 1980s onwards and is now settled across generations, with its own temples, shops and weekend schools.

South Asian staples such as rice varieties, fresh vegetables, curry leaves and snacks are sold by specialist and Asian grocers in the city and in the surrounding towns, and it is worth asking at your nearest temple which shops people use. Indian families are spread widely, including in suburbs along the S-Bahn network, since housing costs push many people out of the centre.

The best-known Hindu temple in Switzerland is the Sri Sivasubramaniar temple in Adliswil, just south of the city, a Tamil Saivite temple whose festival each August brings thousands of worshippers onto the streets for the procession of Lord Murugan. There are other Hindu temples in the area, including one in Glattbrugg, as well as an ISKCON temple and a gurdwara in Bassersdorf. Diwali, Pongal, Navratri and Holi are marked by temple and association events. Most shops close on Sundays, although those at Zurich's main station stay open, which is useful to know if you need supplies after a weekend festival.