Where to celebrate Diwali in Switzerland
Diwali is the five-day festival of lights, celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world. Here’s your guide to where festival events will take place across Switzerland.
Diwali is the name given to the five-day long festival of lights celebrated in autumn in India, and by Hindus, Sikhs, and some Buddhists around the world.
In 2019, Diwali Day, the final day of the celebration, falls on Sunday, October 27th. The celebrations however take place throughout October, with some happening well into November.
It takes its name from the clay lamps or deepa (the event is sometimes called Deepawali) that many Indians light outside their home.
With the days shortening in Switzerland, there's all the more reason to celebrate light, and for the country's Indian community in particular.
According to the Indian Embassy in Bern, there are 24,567 Indians in Switzerland, including around 1,000 Indian students.
Switzerland’s Indian community is concentrated in the country’s big cities of Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Baden, Bern and Lausanne.
How do Indians celebrate Diwali?
As reported by The Local Germany, there are a number of diverse ways in which Indians will celebrate Diwali.
Exactly what is celebrated differs in different parts of India; for example, many northern Indians use the day to mark the return of King Rama to Ayodhya after defeating demon king Ravana, while in southern India it marks the defeat of demon Narakasura by Lord Krishna.
READ: For Indians, the silence in Switzerland can be deafening
The festival lasts five days, with specific rituals and activities assigned to each day. They begin with cleaning your house on the first day and decorating it, usually with clay lamps and patterns of coloured sand, on the second.
The third day is when families meet for prayer and food, and the fourth day is seen as the start of the new year, with friends and relatives visiting each other with gifts.
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Image: Rajesh JANTILAL / AFP
On the fifth and final day, it's traditional for brothers to visit their married sisters and for the sisters' family to welcome them with a meal.
Food is a major part of the celebrations, which originated as a way of marking the year's last harvest before winter.
Bern
The Indian Association of Bern is holding its annual Diwali celebration on November 2nd in Bern’s Bürenpark.
The celebrations are set to include music, lights, cultural events, an Indian buffet dinner and prizes.
Zurich
In Zurich, the Indian Association of Greater Zurich has planned an event for Sunday, November 10th at the Stadthalle Dietikon.
The event will include dancing and other performances, Indian cuisine and opportunities to network. More information is available here.
Geneva
The Indian Association of Geneva is holding their Diwali celebrations on the 16th of November, which feature musical performances and dinner.
Showing the reach and influence of Diwali across the world, the Malaysian Association of Geneva will also be holding a Diwali celebration, to take place on October 26th.
Aargau
In the town of Frick, Aargau, cultural organisation Padmapada is holding a Lichterfest (festival of lights) on Friday, October 25th.
Not far away in the town of Wettingen, Aargau, the Indian Association Wettingen will hold Diwali celebrations on the 10th of November, with tickets available here.
Basel
Kalasri, an Indian art and culture organisation based in northern Switzerland, will hold a Diwali event on the 2nd of November.
The event will showcase a variety of diverse Indian dance styles, followed by a meet and greet with Indian snacks.
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Diwali is the name given to the five-day long festival of lights celebrated in autumn in India, and by Hindus, Sikhs, and some Buddhists around the world.
In 2019, Diwali Day, the final day of the celebration, falls on Sunday, October 27th. The celebrations however take place throughout October, with some happening well into November.
It takes its name from the clay lamps or deepa (the event is sometimes called Deepawali) that many Indians light outside their home.
With the days shortening in Switzerland, there's all the more reason to celebrate light, and for the country's Indian community in particular.
According to the Indian Embassy in Bern, there are 24,567 Indians in Switzerland, including around 1,000 Indian students.
Switzerland’s Indian community is concentrated in the country’s big cities of Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Baden, Bern and Lausanne.
How do Indians celebrate Diwali?
As reported by The Local Germany, there are a number of diverse ways in which Indians will celebrate Diwali.
Exactly what is celebrated differs in different parts of India; for example, many northern Indians use the day to mark the return of King Rama to Ayodhya after defeating demon king Ravana, while in southern India it marks the defeat of demon Narakasura by Lord Krishna.
READ: For Indians, the silence in Switzerland can be deafening
The festival lasts five days, with specific rituals and activities assigned to each day. They begin with cleaning your house on the first day and decorating it, usually with clay lamps and patterns of coloured sand, on the second.
The third day is when families meet for prayer and food, and the fourth day is seen as the start of the new year, with friends and relatives visiting each other with gifts.
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}
Image: Rajesh JANTILAL / AFP
On the fifth and final day, it's traditional for brothers to visit their married sisters and for the sisters' family to welcome them with a meal.
Food is a major part of the celebrations, which originated as a way of marking the year's last harvest before winter.
Bern
The Indian Association of Bern is holding its annual Diwali celebration on November 2nd in Bern’s Bürenpark.
The celebrations are set to include music, lights, cultural events, an Indian buffet dinner and prizes.
Zurich
In Zurich, the Indian Association of Greater Zurich has planned an event for Sunday, November 10th at the Stadthalle Dietikon.
The event will include dancing and other performances, Indian cuisine and opportunities to network. More information is available here.
Geneva
The Indian Association of Geneva is holding their Diwali celebrations on the 16th of November, which feature musical performances and dinner.
Showing the reach and influence of Diwali across the world, the Malaysian Association of Geneva will also be holding a Diwali celebration, to take place on October 26th.
Aargau
In the town of Frick, Aargau, cultural organisation Padmapada is holding a Lichterfest (festival of lights) on Friday, October 25th.
Not far away in the town of Wettingen, Aargau, the Indian Association Wettingen will hold Diwali celebrations on the 10th of November, with tickets available here.
Basel
Kalasri, an Indian art and culture organisation based in northern Switzerland, will hold a Diwali event on the 2nd of November.
The event will showcase a variety of diverse Indian dance styles, followed by a meet and greet with Indian snacks.
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