In Pictures

Gallery|Arts and Culture

‘Festival of colours’: Hindus celebrate Holi

Millions of Hindus across India and other South Asian nations mark the onset of spring with colours, songs and dancing.

Indian Hindu devotees covered in coloured powder dance as they celebrate Holi, the spring festival of colours, during a traditional gathering at a temple in Nandgaon village in Uttar Pradesh state on
People covered in coloured powder dance as they celebrate Holi during a traditional gathering at a temple in Nandgaon village in India's Uttar Pradesh state. [Noemi Cassanelli/AFP]
Published On 21 Mar 2019

Millions of Hindus across India and other South Asian countries are celebrating Holi – the festival of colours – to mark the arrival of spring.

Celebrants daub themselves in brightly coloured powder, or gulal, to celebrate the victory of good over evil, fertility and love.

The festival, observed for centuries, holds mythological importance. It is also associated with the eternal love of Lord Krishna and Radha.

People from all classes and age groups come together during the festival to play with colours, dance and sing, and distribute sweets.

A Nepali reveller poses covered in coloured powder during the celebration of the Holi festival in Kathmandu on March 20, 2019. - The Holi festival of colours is a riotous celebration of the coming of
A Nepali woman covered in coloured powder during Holi celebrations in Kathmandu. Nisha Bhandari/AFP]
Advertisement
A Nepalese man throws colored powder during celebrations marking Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Patan, Nepal, Wednesday, March 20, 2019. The festival also marks the advent of spring. (AP Photo
A Nepali man throws coloured powder, or gulal, during celebrations in Patan, Nepal. [Niranjan Shrestha/AP Photo]
A college student poses as she takes part in the Holi festival celebrations in Bhopal, India, 19 March 2019. Holi is celebrated on the full moon day and marks the beginning of the spring season. Holi
A college student at the Holi festival celebrations in Bhopal. Holi is celebrated at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. [Sanjeev Gupta/EPA-EFE]
An Indian children who suffering from cerebral palsy take part in an event to celebrate the Hindu festival of Holi for children with cerebral palsy organized by the Trishla Foundation in Allahabad on
Indian children living with cerebral palsy take part in Holi celebrations at an event organized by the Trishla Foundation in Allahabad. [Sanjay Kanojia/AFP]
An Indian street vendor sells colored powder a day ahead of Holi, the festival of colors, in Gauhati, India, Wednesday, March 20, 2019. Holi also marks the advent of Spring season. (AP Photo/Anupam Na
An Indian street vendor sells gulal coloured powder a day ahead of Holi in Guwahati. [Anupam Nath/AP Photo]
A view of people celebrating Holi festival with colours at Central Park on March 20, 2019 in New Delhi, India. Holi Festival, also known as Spring Festival of Colors is observed in India at the end o
People celebrating in Central Park, New Delhi. Holi is celebrated by Hindu devotees around the world by throwing coloured powder, or gulal, at each other. [Sanchit Khanna/Hindustan Times via Getty Images]
Advertisement
A young girl smeared with powdered colors takes part in Holi festival celebrations at Durgiana Temple in Amritsar, India, 20 March 2019. Holi is observed at the end of the winter season on the last fu
People from all classes and age groups come together during the festival to play with colours, dance and sing. [Raminder Pal Singh/EPA-EFE]
Hindu devotees take part in the religious festival of Holi inside a temple in Nandgaon village, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, March 16, 2019. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi - RC1417321B00
Holi celebrations inside a temple in Nandgaon village, Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh. [Adnan Abidi/Reuters]
A boy sprays coloured water on a girl during religious religious festival of Holi inside a temple in Nandgaon village, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, March 16, 2019. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
Holi is also associated with the eternal love of Lord Krishna and Radha. [Adnan Abidi/Reuters]
Men daubed in colours take part in "Lathmar Holi" celebrations inside a temple in the town of Barsana, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, March 15, 2019. REUTERS/Altaf Hussai
Celebrations at a temple in the town of Barsana, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. [Altaf Hussain/Reuters]