Indian revelers marked Holi, the annual Spring festival of color with joyous celebrations across the country and amongst communities in the diaspora. In addition to certain Hindu ceremonial rites, the holiday is marked by raucous, mass gatherings where revelers douse each other with colored powder and water.
Widows dance as they throw flowers into the air during Holi celebrations organised by non-governmental organisation Sulabh International at a widows' ashram in Vrindavan in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, March 17, 2014. Adnan Abidi—ReutersPeople daubed in colours dance as they celebrate Holi in Vrindavan in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, March 17, 2014. Adnan Abidi—ReutersIndian revellers cover each other with coloured powder and dance while taking part in Holi festival celebrations in Guwahati on March 17, 2014.Biju Boro—AFP/Getty ImagesA man reacts to coloured water being splashed over him during Holi celebrations in the southern Indian city of Chennai, March 17, 2014. Babu—ReutersA Hindu woman prays while lying on the floor of a temple during Holi celebrations in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, March 17, 2014. Amit Dave—ReutersIndians, faces smeared with colored powder, dance during celebrations marking Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Gauhati, India, March 17, 2014. Anupam Nath—APIndians throw colored powder and sprinkle water as they dance during celebrations marking Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Allahabad, India, March 17, 2014. Rajesh Kumar Singh—APIndian revellers covered in coloured powder dance during Holi festival celebrations in Allahabad on March 17, 2014. Sanjay Kanojia—AFP/Getty ImagesWomen, who are former scavengers, are daubed in colours as they take part in Holi celebrations organised by non-governmental organisation Sulabh International at a widow's ashram in Vrindavan in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, March 14, 2014. Ahmad Masood—ReutersA man lies on the ground smeared with colored powder during celebrations marking Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Allahabad, India, March 17, 2014. Rajesh Kumar Singh—APHindu devotees daubed in colours sit as they sing hymns during Holi celebrations at Shamlal Ji temple in Kolkata, March 17, 2014.Rupak De Chowdhuri —ReutersA widow throws coloured powder into the air during Holi celebrations organised by non-governmental organisation Sulabh International at a widows' ashram in Vrindavan in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, March 17, 2014.Adnan Abidi—ReutersIndian revellers gather to watch a Hindu priest exit a nearby temple and walk through a bonfire, signifying the burning of the demon Holika, during a ritual to mark the Holi festival at Phalen village near Mathura on March 17, 2014. Chandan Khanna—AFP/Getty ImagesHindu priest Babulal jumps out of a fire to signify the burning of the demon Holika during a ritual to mark the first day of the Holi spring festival, also known as the Festival of Colours, at village Phalen near the northern Indian city of Mathura March 17, 2014. Adnan Abidi—Reuters
