By ASSOCIATED PRESS
INDIA (AP) — Millions of Indians on Friday celebrated the Hindu festival of Holi, dancing to festive music, exchanging food and drink, and smearing each other with red, green, blue and pink powder, turning the air into a joyful kaleidoscope of color.
Widely known as the Hindu festival of colors, Holi marks the arrival of the spring season in India, Nepal and other South Asian countries as well as the diaspora. It celebrates the divine love between the Hindu god Krishna and his consort Radha, and signifies a time of rebirth and rejuvenation, embracing the positive and letting go of negative energy.
A girl throws colored powder on her friend as they celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Mumbai, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
A girl throws colored powder on her friend as they celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Mumbai, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
A woman has her face smeared with coloured powder as they celebrate Holi, the festival of colours, in Chennai, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
A woman has her face smeared with coloured powder as they celebrate Holi, the festival of colours, in Chennai, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
Villagers from Barsana and Nandgaon smeared with colors participate in Lathmar Holi at Nandagram temple in Nandgoan village, 115 kilometers (70 miles) south of New Delhi, India, Sunday, March 9, 2025. (AP Photo)
Villagers from Barsana and Nandgaon smeared with colors participate in Lathmar Holi at Nandagram temple in Nandgoan village, 115 kilometers (70 miles) south of New Delhi, India, Sunday, March 9, 2025. (AP Photo)
Villagers from Barsana and Nandgaon smeared with colors sing and dance as they participate Lathmar Holi at Nandagram temple in Nandgoan village, 115 kilometers (70 miles) south of New Delhi, India, Sunday March 9, 2025. (AP Photo)
Villagers from Barsana and Nandgaon smeared with colors sing and dance as they participate Lathmar Holi at Nandagram temple in Nandgoan village, 115 kilometers (70 miles) south of New Delhi, India, Sunday March 9, 2025. (AP Photo)
A child plays with a water gun to celebrate Holi, the festival of colours, in Chennai, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
A child plays with a water gun to celebrate Holi, the festival of colours, in Chennai, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
Indians play with colours as they celebrate Holi in Jammu, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)
Indians play with colours as they celebrate Holi in Jammu, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)
Holi festival Holi celebration at the Lord Jagannath temple in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
Holi festival Holi celebration at the Lord Jagannath temple in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
Indians play with colours as they celebrate Holi in Jammu, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)
Indians play with colours as they celebrate Holi in Jammu, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)
A priest sprays colored powder and water on devotees during celebrations of Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, at the Kalupur Swaminarayan temple in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
A priest sprays colored powder and water on devotees during celebrations of Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, at the Kalupur Swaminarayan temple in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
People apply color powder on each other as they celebrate Holi festival in Guwahati, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
People apply color powder on each other as they celebrate Holi festival in Guwahati, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
A girl with her face smeared with colored powder smiles during Holi celebrations, the Hindu festival of colors, in Mumbai, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
A girl with her face smeared with colored powder smiles during Holi celebrations, the Hindu festival of colors, in Mumbai, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
People perform rituals around the bonfire or sacred fire called ‘Holi ka dahan’ during Holi festival celebrations in Palaj village near Gandhinagar, India, Thursday, March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
People perform rituals around the bonfire or sacred fire called ‘Holi ka dahan’ during Holi festival celebrations in Palaj village near Gandhinagar, India, Thursday, March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
Nepalese people throw colors on each other as they celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colors at Basantapur Durbar Square in Kathmandu, Nepal, Thursday, March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
Nepalese people throw colors on each other as they celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colors at Basantapur Durbar Square in Kathmandu, Nepal, Thursday, March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
A girl throws colored powder on her friend as they celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Mumbai, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
A girl throws colored powder on her friend as they celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Mumbai, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
Villagers covered in color participate in the Lathmar Holi at the Nandagram temple in Nandgoan village, 115 kilometers (70 miles) south of New Delhi, India, Sunday, March 9, 2025. (AP Photo)
Villagers covered in color participate in the Lathmar Holi at the Nandagram temple in Nandgoan village, 115 kilometers (70 miles) south of New Delhi, India, Sunday, March 9, 2025. (AP Photo)
Devotees cheer as colored powder and water is sprayed on them during celebrations of Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, at the Kalupur Swaminarayan temple in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Piyush Nagpal)
Devotees cheer as colored powder and water is sprayed on them during celebrations of Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, at the Kalupur Swaminarayan temple in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Piyush Nagpal)
Indian women cover each other with colored powder during celebrations marking Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Prayagraj, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, India, Friday, March 14, 2025 (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Indian women cover each other with colored powder during celebrations marking Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Prayagraj, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, India, Friday, March 14, 2025 (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Indian revelers, faces smeared with colored powder, dance during celebrations to mark Holi, the Hindu festival of colors in Prayagraj, northern Uttar Pradesh state, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Indian revelers, faces smeared with colored powder, dance during celebrations to mark Holi, the Hindu festival of colors in Prayagraj, northern Uttar Pradesh state, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Indian revelers, faces smeared with colored powder, dance during celebrations to mark Holi, the Hindu festival of colors in Prayagraj, northern Uttar Pradesh state, India, Friday, March 14, 2025 (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Indian revelers, faces smeared with colored powder, dance during celebrations to mark Holi, the Hindu festival of colors in Prayagraj, northern Uttar Pradesh state, India, Friday, March 14, 2025 (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Devotees cheer as colored powder and water is sprayed on them during celebrations of Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, at the Kalupur Swaminarayan temple in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Piyush Nagpal)
Devotees cheer as colored powder and water is sprayed on them during celebrations of Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, at the Kalupur Swaminarayan temple in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Piyush Nagpal)
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