SWITZERLAND, June 6, 2003: Switzerland is home to a diverse mix of religious groups thanks to its large community of immigrants, many of whom go to great lengths to set up their own places of worship. Immigrants often feel their religion is a strong part of their identity and provides a sense of security in a foreign land. According to the most recent census, there are almost 311,000 Muslims and 132,000 orthodox Christians, mostly made up of Serbs, living in Switzerland. These two groups are followed by over 27,000 Hindus and 21,300 Buddhists. Hindus have 16 places of worship in Switzerland. In Adliswil, near Zurich, Switzerland’s largest Hindu temple is hidden away in a factory. The resident brahmin priest grew up here and speaks the local Swiss-German dialect. The majority of the Adliswil Hindu community are Sri Lanka Tamil refugees.
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