N EW DELHI — 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.

INDIA (AP) — Millions of Indians on Friday celebrated the Hindu festival of Holi, dancing to festive music, exchanging food and drink, and smearing each other with red, green, blue and pink powder, turning the air into a joyful kaleidoscope of color.

Holi is celebrated by smearing each other with brightly coloured powder, dancing and feasting on traditional confectionery.

Holi, the Hindu festival of colour, is celebrated around the world, marked by raucous parties where people throw and smear coloured powder on each other.The festival, the celebrations for which begin on March 14 in many parts of India,

Hindus across India celebrated Holi, the festival of colors, on Friday (March 14) as they smeared colored powder at each other while dancing to upbeat songs.

The Festival of Colours, Holi, is being celebrated across India with great enthusiasm. From Delhi to Mathura and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, to Maharashtra and Bengal, people are participating in the festivities.