![Indian devotees play with coloured powder as they celebrate the...]()
Narinder Nanu/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images
Indian devotees play with coloured powder as they celebrate the Holi festival at a temple in Amritsar on Wednesday.
![TOPSHOT - An Indian raveller gestures as he is thrown...]()
TOPSHOT - An Indian raveller gestures as he is thrown coloured water by another during Holi festival celebrations in Chennai on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India and across countries at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by ARUN SANKAR / AFP)ARUN SANKAR/AFP/Getty Images
![An Indian reveller is smeared with coloured powder during Holi...]()
An Indian reveller is smeared with coloured powder during Holi festival or festival of colours celebrations in Siliguri on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India and across countries at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by DIPTENDU DUTTA / AFP)DIPTENDU DUTTA/AFP/Getty Images
![An Indian artist dressed as Lord Hanuman performs traditional folk...]()
An Indian artist dressed as Lord Hanuman performs traditional folk dance during Holi festival celebrations at a temple in Amritsar on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India and across countries at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by NARINDER NANU / AFP)NARINDER NANU/AFP/Getty Images
![Indian revellers play with coloured powder during Holi festival celebrations,...]()
Indian revellers play with coloured powder during Holi festival celebrations, in Hyderabad on March 21, 2019. (Photo by NOAH SEELAM / AFP)NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images
![An Indian family covered in coloured powder poses for a...]()
An Indian family covered in coloured powder poses for a selfie as they celebrate Holi, the spring festival of colours, during a traditional gathering at a temple in New Delhi on March 21,2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by Dominique FAGET / AFP)DOMINIQUE FAGET/AFP/Getty Images
![An Indian Hindu devotee covered in coloured powder prays during...]()
An Indian Hindu devotee covered in coloured powder prays during Holi, the spring festival of colours, at a temple in New Delhi on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by Dominique FAGET / AFP)DOMINIQUE FAGET/AFP/Getty Images
![A visually impaired Indian student from The Devnar School for...]()
A visually impaired Indian student from The Devnar School for the Blind apply coloured powder to a teacher as they celebrate the Holi festival in Hyderabad on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by NOAH SEELAM / AFP)NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images
![A reveller reacts as coloured powder is thrown on her...]()
A reveller reacts as coloured powder is thrown on her during a Rangeen (colour) run to celebrate the Holi festival, in Mumbai on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India and across countries at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by Indranil MUKHERJEE / AFP)INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images
![A reveller reacts as coloured powder is thrown on her...]()
A reveller reacts as coloured powder is thrown on her during a Rangeen (colour) run to celebrate the Holi festival, in Mumbai on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India and across countries at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by Indranil MUKHERJEE / AFP)INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images
![A reveller is smeared with coloured powder during Holi festival...]()
A reveller is smeared with coloured powder during Holi festival celebrations, in Mumbai on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India and across countries at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by Indranil MUKHERJEE / AFP)INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images
![Revellers throw coloured powder during Holi festival celebrations, in Mumbai...]()
Revellers throw coloured powder during Holi festival celebrations, in Mumbai on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India and across countries at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by Indranil MUKHERJEE / AFP)INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images
![A student smears coloured powder on the face of another...]()
A student smears coloured powder on the face of another as they celebrate the Holi festival at a vedic school near Gwarighat in Jabalpur, in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on March, 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India and across countries at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by Uma Shankar MISHRA / AFP)UMA SHANKAR MISHRA/AFP/Getty Images
![Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers covered with coloured powder dance...]()
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers covered with coloured powder dance during Holi festival celebrations in Amritsar on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India and across countries at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by NARINDER NANU / AFP)NARINDER NANU/AFP/Getty Images
![Indian revellers celebrate Holi, the spring festival of colours, in...]()
Indian revellers celebrate Holi, the spring festival of colours, in Siliguri on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India and across countries at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by DIPTENDU DUTTA / AFP)DIPTENDU DUTTA/AFP/Getty Images
![Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers play with coloured powder during...]()
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers play with coloured powder during Holi festival celebrations in Amritsar on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India and across countries at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by NARINDER NANU / AFP)NARINDER NANU/AFP/Getty Images
![An Indian reveller gestures as he is thrown coloured water...]()
An Indian reveller gestures as he is thrown coloured water by another during Holi festival celebrations in Chennai on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India and across countries at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by ARUN SANKAR / AFP)ARUN SANKAR/AFP/Getty Images
![An Indian reveller gestures as he is thrown colored water...]()
An Indian reveller gestures as he is thrown colored water by another during Holi festival celebrations in Chennai on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India and across countries at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by ARUN SANKAR / AFP)ARUN SANKAR/AFP/Getty Images
![An Indian girl gets reacts as she thrown coloured powder...]()
An Indian girl gets reacts as she thrown coloured powder during Holi festival celebrations in Chennai on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India and across countries at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by ARUN SANKAR / AFP)ARUN SANKAR/AFP/Getty Images
![A reveller reacts as she is smeared with coloured powder...]()
A reveller reacts as she is smeared with coloured powder during Holi festival celebrations in Mumbai on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India and across countries at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by Indranil MUKHERJEE / AFP)INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images
![Indian children throw coloured powder in the air during Holi...]()
Indian children throw coloured powder in the air during Holi festival celebrations in Chennai on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India and across countries at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by ARUN SANKAR / AFP)ARUN SANKAR/AFP/Getty Images
![An Indian man gestures with his face smeared with coloured...]()
An Indian man gestures with his face smeared with coloured powder and clipped peanuts during Holi festival celebrations in Chennai on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India and across countries at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by ARUN SANKAR / AFP)ARUN SANKAR/AFP/Getty Images
![Indian children spray coloured water during Holi festival celebrations in...]()
Indian children spray coloured water during Holi festival celebrations in Allahabad on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India and across countries at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by SANJAY KANOJIA / AFP)SANJAY KANOJIA/AFP/Getty Images
![Indian revellers celebrate the Holi festival as in Allahabad on...]()
Indian revellers celebrate the Holi festival as in Allahabad on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India and across countries at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by SANJAY KANOJIA / AFP)SANJAY KANOJIA/AFP/Getty Images
![Indian revellers dance as they celebrate the Holi festival in...]()
Indian revellers dance as they celebrate the Holi festival in Allahabad on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India and across countries at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by SANJAY KANOJIA / AFP)SANJAY KANOJIA/AFP/Getty Images
![An Indian artists dressed as Lord Krishna performs traditional folk...]()
An Indian artists dressed as Lord Krishna performs traditional folk dance during Holi festival celebrations at a temple in Amritsar on March 21, 2019. - Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours is observed in India and across countries at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month. (Photo by NARINDER NANU / AFP)NARINDER NANU/AFP/Getty Images
Diane Croft | Reuters
Hindus across India this week celebrate the two-day festival of Holi, which marks the beginning of spring, with an explosion of colors, chanting of devotional songs and prayer.
For many, the festival, also known as the “festival of colors” or the “festival of love,” which began on Wednesday, is a time to laugh, forgive and mend broken relationships.
During the festival, participants sing and dance and shower each other with flower petals and brightly colored powders of pink, yellow, blue and green.
Smiling college students smear their faces with green, yellow and red powder, some in a trance-like state under a cloud of pink.
Inside their temples, priests spray pink and gold colors at hundreds of Hindu devotees with their arms raised in prayer as they sing religious hymns.
