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The Holi festival of colors is a riotous celebration of the coming of spring and falls on the day after the full moon in the Hindu month of Phalguna (early March) every year. In addition to celebrating spring, Holi commemorates various events in Hindu mythology and is a time of disregarding social norms and indulging in general merrymaking. During Holi, Hindus attend a public bonfire, spray friends and family with colored powders and water, and generally go a bit wild in the streets.


A young villager from Nandgaon, soaked in water and colors, arrives in Barsana. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)

A young villager from Nandgaon, soaked in water and colors, arrives in Barsana. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)




Men from the village of Nangaon are covered in colored powder as they sit on the floor during prayers at the Radha Temple. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Associated Press)

Men from the village of Nangaon are covered in colored powder as they sit on the floor during prayers at the Radha Temple. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Associated Press)




An elderly Indian Hindu woman and other devotees react as they are covered with colored powder. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)

An elderly Indian Hindu woman and other devotees react as they are covered with colored powder. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)




A newlywed woman from Barsana village waits with a wooden stick at the doorstep of her house for the arrival of villagers from Nandgaon during the Lathmar Holi festival. During Lathmar Holi the women of Barsana beat the men from Nandgaon, the hometown of Krishna, with wooden sticks in response to their teasing as they depart the town. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)

A newlywed woman from Barsana village waits with a wooden stick at the doorstep of her house for the arrival of villagers from Nandgaon during the Lathmar Holi festival. During Lathmar Holi the women of Barsana beat the men from Nandgaon, the hometown of Krishna, with wooden sticks in response to their teasing as they depart the town. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)




Laborers prepare colored powder for the upcoming Holi festival in Allahabad, India, on March 22, 2013. (Photo by Rajesh Kumar Singh/Associated Press)

Laborers prepare colored powder for the upcoming Holi festival in Allahabad, India, on March 22, 2013. (Photo by Rajesh Kumar Singh/Associated Press)




Villagers from Nandgaon arrive in Barsana, on March 22, 2013. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)

Villagers from Nandgaon arrive in Barsana, on March 22, 2013. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)




Hindu devotees wait outside the Ladali or Radha temple during the Lathmar Holi festival in Barsana. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)

Hindu devotees wait outside the Ladali or Radha temple during the Lathmar Holi festival in Barsana. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)




A priest prays holding a bag with an image of the Hindu God Krishna at the Ladali  in Barsana. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)

A priest prays holding a bag with an image of the Hindu God Krishna at the Ladali in Barsana. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)




Hindu men from the village of Nandgaon are covered in colored powder as they sit on the floor during prayers at the Ladali before the procession for the Lathmar Holi festival. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Associated Press)

Hindu men from the village of Nandgaon are covered in colored powder as they sit on the floor during prayers at the Ladali before the procession for the Lathmar Holi festival. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Associated Press)




Men throw and spray colored water on men from the village of Nangaon before the procession for the Lathmar Holi festival in Barsana. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Asasociated Press)

Men throw and spray colored water on men from the village of Nangaon before the procession for the Lathmar Holi festival in Barsana. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Asasociated Press)




Men and boys from the village of Nangaon are covered in colored powder, on March 22, 2013. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Associated Press)

Men and boys from the village of Nangaon are covered in colored powder, on March 22, 2013. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Associated Press)




A young villager from Nandgaon is soaked in water and colored powder. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)

A young villager from Nandgaon is soaked in water and colored powder. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)




Hindu men from the village of Nangaon are covered in colored powder as they sit on the floor during prayers at the Ladali, or Radha temple, before the procession for the Lathmar Holi festival. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Associated Press)

Hindu men from the village of Nangaon are covered in colored powder as they sit on the floor during prayers at the Ladali, or Radha temple, before the procession for the Lathmar Holi festival. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Associated Press)




Students smear each other's faces with colored powder as they celebrate Holi at the Rabindra Bharati University campus in Kolkata, India on Friday, on March 22, 2013. (Photo by Bikas Das/Associated Press)

Students smear each other's faces with colored powder as they celebrate Holi at the Rabindra Bharati University campus in Kolkata, India on Friday, on March 22, 2013. (Photo by Bikas Das/Associated Press)




Villagers from Nandgaon wait for the arrival of villagers from Barsana to play Lathmar Holi at the Nandagram temple famous for Lord Krishna and his brother Balram, in Nandgaon, India, on Friday, on March 22, 2013. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)

Villagers from Nandgaon wait for the arrival of villagers from Barsana to play Lathmar Holi at the Nandagram temple famous for Lord Krishna and his brother Balram, in Nandgaon, India, on Friday, on March 22, 2013. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)




Villagers from Nandgaon throw colored water on the villagers from Barsana as they arrive at the Nandagram temple. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)

Villagers from Nandgaon throw colored water on the villagers from Barsana as they arrive at the Nandagram temple. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)




Devotees are smeared with colors and sing at the Nandagram temple, on March 22, 2013. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)

Devotees are smeared with colors and sing at the Nandagram temple, on March 22, 2013. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)




Devotees smeared with colors sing at the Nandagram temple, on March 22, 2013. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)

Devotees smeared with colors sing at the Nandagram temple, on March 22, 2013. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)




Devotees smeared with colors watch others dance and play  at the Nandagram temple, on March 22, 2013. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)

Devotees smeared with colors watch others dance and play at the Nandagram temple, on March 22, 2013. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)




Devotees smeared with colors sing at the Nandagram temple, on March 22, 2013. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)

Devotees smeared with colors sing at the Nandagram temple, on March 22, 2013. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)




Indian women from Nandgaon hit villagers from Barsana. During Lathmar Holi the women of Nandgaon, the hometown of Krishna, beat the men from Barsana, the legendary hometown of Radha, consort of the Hindu God Krishna, with wooden sticks in response to their teasing as they depart the town. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)

Indian women from Nandgaon hit villagers from Barsana. During Lathmar Holi the women of Nandgaon, the hometown of Krishna, beat the men from Barsana, the legendary hometown of Radha, consort of the Hindu God Krishna, with wooden sticks in response to their teasing as they depart the town. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)




A devotee participates in Holi celebrations at the Nandagram temple, on March 22, 2013. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)

A devotee participates in Holi celebrations at the Nandagram temple, on March 22, 2013. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)
24 Mar 2013 13:07:00