Indians celebrate Holi, Hindu festival of color
Millions of Indians on Wednesday celebrated the Holi festival, dancing to the beat of drums, smearing each other with green, yellow and red colors and exchanging sweets in homes, parks and streets.
Free from wearing masks and other COVID-19 restrictions after two years, they drenched each other with colored water.
One of the most popular Hindu festivals, Holi provides an opportunity for people to come together, forget resentment and ill feelings toward each other.
"Wishing you all a happy and colorful Holi!” tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Villagers smeared with colors play Holi at Nandagram temple in Nandgoan village, 115 kilometers (70 miles) south of New Delhi, India, Wednesday, March 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Deepanshu Aggarwal)
People sing, dance and throw colors at each other to celebrate Holi festival in Hyderabad, India, Monday, March 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
Bollywood and other celebrities organized bashes for friends and posted photos on social media.
“People who work hard, play hard,” said Ravi Sharma, a pharmacy owner.
The festival, which also marks the beginning of the spring season, celebrates the divine love of Hindu god Krishna with his consort Radha.
On Tuesday night, people got into the mood by making bonfires with logs of wood in open spaces to commemorate the triumph of good over evil – Hindu god Vishnu killing a demon, Hiranyakashipu.
People celebrate Holi, the festival of colors on a street in Guwahati, India, Wednesday, March 8, 2023 (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
People smeared with colors play Holi at Nandagram temple in Nandgoan village, 115 kilometers (70 miles) south of New Delhi, India, Wednesday, March 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Deepanshu Aggarwal)
Women play Lathmar holi with men of Barsana village in Nandgoan village, 115 kilometers (70 miles) south of New Delhi, India, Wednesday, March 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Deepanshu Aggarwal)
Holi traditions vary across India. In two northern towns, hundreds of women celebrated last week by playfully hitting men with wooden sticks in response to their teasing as part of a ritual.
Drinking is part of the celebrations. New Delhi reported a record sale of liquor on Monday, a whopping 2.6 million bottles sold on a single day, compared to the average of 1.1 million bottles, according to The Times of India newspaper.
Children play Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, March 7, 2023. The festival heralds the arrival of spring. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
Hindu devotees with offerings make their way to reach a car carrying an idol of deity Krishna during Holi festival in Kolkata, India, Sunday, March 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
People celebrate Holi, the festival of colors, on a street in Guwahati, India, Wednesday, March 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Devotees cheer as colored powder and water is sprayed on them during celebrations marking Holi at the Kalupur Swaminarayan temple in Ahmedabad, India, Wednesday, March 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
A man applies colored powder on his friend's face during celebrations marking Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, March 7, 2023. The festival heralds the arrival of spring. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
Children put colors on each other as they celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Jammu, India, Tuesday, March 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)
A trainer at a gymnasium plays Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Prayagraj, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Tuesday, March 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Devotees cheer as colored powder and water is sprayed on them during celebrations marking Holi at the Kalupur Swaminarayan temple in Ahmedabad, India, Wednesday, March 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
Men from Barsana village smeared with colors play Holi at Nandagram temple in Nandgoan village, 115 kilometers (70 miles) south of New Delhi, India, Wednesday, March 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Deepanshu Aggarwal)
A woman smeared with colors celebrates Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, March 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
Men from Barsana village smeared with colors sing as they play Holi at Nandagram temple in Nandgoan village, 115 kilometers (70 miles) south of New Delhi, India, Wednesday, March 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Deepanshu Aggarwal)
Villagers smeared with colors throw water at a motorcyclist during Lathmar Holi in Nandgoan village, 115 kilometers (70 miles) south of New Delhi, India, Wednesday, March 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Deepanshu Aggarwal)
A man applies colored powder on his friend's face during celebrations marking Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, March 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
Men from Barsana village smeared with colors play Holi at Nandagram temple in Nandgoan village, 115 kilometers (70 miles) south of New Delhi, India, Wednesday, March 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Deepanshu Aggarwal)
Lead photo: A woman smeared with colors play Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, March 7, 2023. The festival heralds the arrival of spring. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
This gallery was edited by AP photo editor Courtney Dittmar in Tokyo.
