NEW DELHI (AP) — Millions of people in South Asia celebrated Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, on Friday by smearing each other with brightly colored powder, dancing to festive music and feasting on traditional sweets prepared for the occasion.

Thousands celebrated the Hindu Holi festival in Kathmandu on Thursday, dancing to festive music, drumming and smearing each other with red, green, blue and pink powder.

Thousands in Kathmandu celebrated Holi, widely known as the Hindu festival of colours, with vibrant colours, music, and dance, honouring the arrival of spring and the divine love of Krishna and Radha.

Millions of Indians are celebrating Holi, the festival of colours. The spring festival symbolises the victory of good over evil and marks the end of winter. People light a bonfire, smear or spray friends and family members with colour and water,

Thousands of widows in India's holy town of Vrindavan marked the Hindu festival of colors "Holi", with bright colored dyes and flower petals on Wednesday (March 12). The festival heralds the beginning of spring and will be officially celebrated on March 14 this year.

Spring’s arrival may be uncertain after the groundhog’s prediction, but Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, which takes place March 14 this year, brings a vibrant promise: a fresh start, community joy and a chance to leave negativity behind.

Indian equity markets are closed today, Friday, March 14, in observance of Holi, the vibrant festival of colors celebrated across the nation. The holiday, which marks the arrival of spring, has led to a pause in trading activity on the domestic stock exchanges.

Holi, the festival of colors, is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in India. It marks the arrival of spring and symbolizes the victory of good over evil. While the festival is primarily associated with the playful throwing of colors,