Dussehra 2026 in Qatar, City by City: Date, Vijay Muhurat and Community Celebrations

Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Qatar is on Tuesday 20 October 2026 in every city. The Vijay Muhurat, calculated by the Drik Panchang method, is 1:13 PM – 1:59 PM in Doha, Al Rayyan and Al Khor and 1:13 PM – 1:58 PM in Al Wakrah (Qatar time, UTC+3). Navratri runs from Sunday 11 to Monday 19 October 2026.

Editor's note (5 October 2026): The local times on this page were calculated for each city from the Drik Panchang tithi (Dashami from 12:50 PM IST on 20 October to 2:11 PM IST on 21 October 2026), using Qatar's time zone, which stays at UTC+3 all year. The Vijay Muhurat is the 11th of the 15 daytime muhurtas, calculated by the Drik Panchang method. We do not list 2026 event schedules, because community associations announce their own programmes; please check with them directly.

Qatar is home to one of the largest Indian communities in the Gulf. The Indian Cultural Centre puts the number of Indians in the country at around 600,000, and many of them are Hindu. They come from every part of India: Keralites are the largest group, and there are large Tamil, Telugu, Karnataka, Maharashtrian, Gujarati, Bengali and North Indian communities. Nepalese residents also mark Dashain. Most live in and around Doha, with others in Al Rayyan, Al Wakrah and the industrial areas to the north near Al Khor. Qatar is an Islamic state where public non-Muslim worship is limited to designated sites, so Hindu religious life here is centred on the home, with community festivals held as cultural events.

Dussehra 2026 in Qatar: dates and Vijay Muhurat by city

All of Qatar uses Arabia Standard Time (UTC+0300) and does not change its clocks. The Dashami tithi begins and ends at the same moment everywhere, and because the country is small, the sun-based windows differ by only a minute or so between cities.

The Aparahna (afternoon period) is the traditional window for Aparajita and Shami puja. Sunset marks the time for evening aarti or any symbolic Ravan Dahan story session at home:

Key Navratri and Dussehra dates 2026

Ashtami and Navami share Monday 19 October in India's calendar this year, so families who do Kanya pujan on either day will hold it then. In every city in Qatar the Dashami tithi covers the whole Aparahna on 20 October, so there is no doubt about the date. India itself also observes Vijayadashami on Tuesday 20 October.

Hindu temples and community groups in Qatar for Navratri & Dussehra

We could not confirm any public Hindu temple in Qatar through official or reliable sources, and we do not list unverified claims. Festival life runs instead through the Indian Cultural Centre and its affiliated associations, which hold cultural programmes at approved venues. The groups below have been confirmed to exist. We list name and area only, so check their own websites or social pages for details. Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages.

Doha

Doha's Vijay Muhurat is 1:13 PM – 1:59 PM, with the Aparahna from 12:27 PM – 2:45 PM and sunset at 5:02 PM. Almost all organised Indian community life in Qatar is based in Doha, and these associations draw families from across the country:

• Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) — Doha. The apex body of the Indian community, working under the patronage of the Embassy of India. More than 80 socio-cultural associations are affiliated to it, and its halls host many community festival programmes.
• Gujarati Samaj Qatar (GSQ) — Doha. The Gujarati community association, which has organised Navratri garba and dandiya celebrations.
• Bangiya Parishad Qatar (BPQ) — Doha. An ICC-affiliated association of the Bengali-speaking Indian community, which has presented Navratri programmes at ICC cultural shows.
• Telangana Praja Samithi Qatar — Doha. A Telugu community group that has celebrated Dasara and Bathukamma Sambaralu at the ICC.
• Telangana Jagruthi Qatar — Doha. Another Telangana community group known for its Bathukamma celebrations.
• Telugu Kala Samiti — Doha. One of Qatar's leading Telugu socio-cultural associations under the ICC.
• Maharashtra Mandal Qatar (MMQ) — Doha. The Maharashtrian community association, affiliated to the Embassy of India, which holds festival gatherings such as Diwali celebrations.

Community Navratri programmes in Doha typically include garba and dandiya nights with a Mataji image and aarti, Bathukamma evenings with flower stacks and circle songs, and Bengali cultural evenings with songs and dance. Most are held on Thursday evenings or at the Friday–Saturday weekend in community or school halls.

Al Rayyan

Al Rayyan's Vijay Muhurat is 1:13 PM – 1:59 PM (Aparahna 12:27 PM – 2:45 PM, sunset 5:03 PM). Al Rayyan borders Doha to the west, and many Indian families live in its residential areas and Education City, sending their children to Indian schools across the metropolitan area. We could not confirm a separate Hindu temple or Navratri association based in Al Rayyan. Families here celebrate at home and join the Doha associations above, which are a short drive away.

Al Wakrah

Al Wakrah's Vijay Muhurat is 1:13 PM – 1:58 PM (Aparahna 12:27 PM – 2:44 PM, sunset 5:02 PM). This coastal city south of Doha has grown quickly, and its Indian residents include many families working at the nearby port, the airport and in healthcare. We could not confirm a separate Hindu temple or community association in Al Wakrah. Families usually mark Navratri and Dussehra at home and join community programmes in Doha.

Al Khor

Al Khor's Vijay Muhurat is 1:13 PM – 1:59 PM (Aparahna 12:27 PM – 2:44 PM, sunset 5:02 PM). Al Khor and the industrial areas around it, including the gas facilities at Ras Laffan, are home to many Indian engineers, technicians and workers, often living in company housing. We could not confirm a Hindu temple or Navratri association in Al Khor. Workers and families here often do a simple puja in their homes or rooms, join friends for bhajans and aarti, and travel to Doha at the weekend for the larger community programmes.

How Qatar's Indian community celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Because Qatar's weekend is Friday and Saturday, community Navratri celebrations move to Thursday evenings and weekends. Gujarati families hold garba and dandiya nights in chaniya choli and kediyu, and these events usually draw Indians from every region. Bengali families honour Durga with songs, cultural programmes and Bijoya greetings. Keralite, Tamil and Karnataka families set up Golu (Bommai Kolu) displays at home and invite neighbours, then mark Saraswati Puja and Ayudha Puja (called Pooja Veppu in Kerala) near the end of the nine nights. On Vijayadashami, children begin learning with Vidyarambham. Telugu families from Telangana celebrate Bathukamma, and Nepalese residents give and receive tika and jamara for Dashain.

Public Ramlila performances and open-air Ravan Dahan, as seen in India, do not take place in Qatar. Burning effigies, open fires and fireworks are controlled by the Qatari authorities, and public religious events are not permitted outside approved settings. North Indian families usually mark Rama's victory by telling children the story at home, watching an Indian Ramlila online, or seeing a Ramayana dance-drama at a cultural programme.

Dussehra puja at home

In Qatar, home is the natural place for Dussehra puja. Ideally do it during your city's Vijay Muhurat, which falls around lunchtime, or at least within the Aparahna:

• Aparajita puja: draw an eight-petalled lotus with kumkum or rice flour, place a lamp, and worship Devi Aparajita, the goddess of victory, with flowers, akshat and a simple prayer for success over obstacles.
• Shami puja: if you have Shami leaves (or a substitute such as apta/bauhinia leaves), offer them to the Devi and exchange them with family as "gold" — a Maharashtrian and Karnataka custom.
• Ayudha Puja / Shastra puja: clean and decorate tools, books, laptops and the car, apply kumkum and offer flowers, thanking them for their service.
• Vidyarambham: Vijayadashami is the traditional day for small children to begin learning — writing "Om" or the first letters of the alphabet in rice.
• New beginnings: starting a course, opening new account books or beginning a venture are traditional symbols of victory on this day.

A simple order: bathe, light a lamp, pray to Ganesha, do the Aparajita and Shami puja, then Ayudha puja, offer naivedya (sweets, fruit), do aarti and share prasad. For full step-by-step vidhi and the stories behind the festival, see our Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026 pillar guide.

Practical tips for Dussehra in Qatar

• Working day: Tuesday 20 October is a normal working day. The Vijay Muhurat falls around the lunch hour, so a short puja at home or a quiet prayer at your desk is possible; otherwise do the puja later within the Aparahna, which ends at 2:44 PM or 2:45 PM.
• Respect local law: keep worship private and respectful. Rules on fireworks, open fires and public gatherings are set by the Qatari authorities, so do not burn effigies or set off fireworks, and attend only events organised through recognised associations at approved venues.
• Getting to events: Doha Metro and Karwa buses serve much of Doha, Al Rayyan and Al Wakrah. From Al Khor and the north, car-sharing is usually easiest. Parking near popular halls fills up on weekend evenings.
• Weather: late October is still warm in Qatar, so carry water to outdoor gatherings. Sunset is at 5:02 PM or 5:03 PM, so evening aarti comes early.
• Puja items: Indian supermarkets and grocers in Doha stock flowers, kumkum, diyas and sweets, but buy early as stock runs short before Navratri weekends.
• Muhurat: use your own city's times from the table above; never convert India's times into Qatar time.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Qatar?

Tuesday 20 October 2026 in every city in Qatar. The Dashami tithi begins at 10:20 AM Qatar time on 20 October and ends at 11:41 AM on Wednesday 21 October, so it covers the whole afternoon of the 20th.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Doha on Dussehra 2026?

Calculated by the Drik Panchang method, the Vijay Muhurat in Doha is 1:13 PM – 1:59 PM on Tuesday 20 October 2026 (Qatar time, UTC+3). Al Rayyan and Al Khor are the same, and Al Wakrah is 1:13 PM – 1:58 PM.

Is there a Hindu temple in Qatar?

We could not confirm any public Hindu temple in Qatar through reliable sources. Hindu families worship at home, and festivals are celebrated as cultural programmes by Indian community associations affiliated to the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) in Doha.

Can I convert India's Dussehra muhurat into Qatar time?

No. The Vijay Muhurat depends on local sunrise and sunset, so it has to be calculated for your own city. Use the Qatar times on this page, not India's times shifted by the two-and-a-half-hour difference.

When is Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela for Bengali families in Qatar?

In India, Bengal-tradition Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela fall on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata). Any Durga Puja programme in Qatar follows its own committee's schedule, so check with the organising association.

Is Dussehra a holiday in Qatar?

No. Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 October 2026 are normal working and school days, although Indian curriculum schools set their own calendars. Qatar's weekend is Friday and Saturday, so most community celebrations happen then.

Related guides

• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026: complete guide
• Navratri 2026: complete guide for NRI families
• Dussehra 2026 in Dubai and the UAE, emirate by emirate
• Dussehra 2026 in Bahrain, city by city
• Dussehra 2026 in Kuwait, city by city
• Dussehra 2026 in Oman, city by city
• Navaratri and Vijayadashami 2026 in Kerala
• October 2026 Hindu festival calendar