Colors fly as Holi celebrations begin
Break out the colored powder: small celebrations of Holi, the annual festival of colors to mark the start of spring, are taking place around the world.
- Women with colored powder on their face joins celebrations of the Holi festival in suburban Pasay, south of Manila, Philippines, on Sunday, March 1, 2015. The event is led by Indian nationals as they mark Holi, a Hindu spring festival also known as festival of colors. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
- An Indian national is thrown in the air by his friends as they join celebrations of the Holi festival in suburban Pasay, south of Manila, Philippines, on Sunday, March 1, 2015. The event is led by Indian nationals as they mark Holi, a Hindu spring festival also known as festival of colors. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
- A man places colored powder on his friend as they join celebrations of the Holi festival in suburban Pasay, south of Manila, Philippines, on Sunday, March 1, 2015. The event is led by Indian nationals as they mark Holi, a Hindu spring festival also known as festival of colors. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
- Students at the Rabindra Bharati University, named after Indiaís first Noble laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore, hug each other as they play with colors ahead of spring festival Holi in Kolkata, India, Monday, March 2, 2015. (AP Photo/ Bikas Das)
- Colored powder is thrown on a woman devotee during Lathmar holi festival celebrations, in Nandgaon, India, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015. During Lathmar Holi the women of Nandgaon, the hometown of Krishna, beat the men from Barsana, the legendary hometown of Radha, consort of Hindu God Krishna, with wooden sticks in response to their teasing as they depart the town. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)
- Hindu men from the village of Nandgaon dance as colored powder is thrown at Ladali or Radha temple before taking out a procession for the Lathmar Holi festival at the legendary hometown of Radha, consort of Hindu God Krishna, in Barsana, 115 kilometers (71 miles) from New Delhi, India, Friday, Feb. 27, 2015. During Lathmar Holi the women of Barsana beat the men from Nandgaon, the hometown of Krishna, with wooden sticks in response to their teasing. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)
- Hindu men from the village of Nandgaon pray at the Ladali or Radha temple before taking out a procession for the Lathmar Holi festival at the legendary hometown of Radha, consort of Hindu God Krishna, in Barsana, 115 kilometers (71 miles) from New Delhi, India, Friday, Feb. 27, 2015. During Lathmar Holi the women of Barsana beat the men from Nandgaon, the hometown of Krishna, with wooden sticks in response to their teasing. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)
- An Indian Hindu boy from the village of Nandgaon sits with others at the Ladali or Radha temple before taking out a procession for the Lathmar Holi festival, at the legendary hometown of Radha, consort of Hindu God Krishna, in Barsana, 115 kilometers (71 miles) from New Delhi, India, Friday, Feb. 27, 2015. During Lathmar Holi the women of Barsana beat the men from Nandgaon, the hometown of Lord Krishna, with wooden sticks in response to their teasing. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)
- A Hindu devotee smeared with colors watches as he visits the Nandagram temple, famous for Lord Krishna and his brother Balram, during Lathmar holi festival, in Nandgaon, India, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015. During Lathmar Holi the women of Nandgaon, the hometown of Krishna, beat the men from Barsana, the legendary hometown of Radha, consort of Hindu God Krishna, with wooden sticks in response to their teasing as they depart the town. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)
- A Hindu woman is seen through her veil as other women beat men from Nandgaon village during Lathmar Holi festival, at the legendary hometown of Radha, consort of Hindu God Krishna in Barsana, 115 kilometers (71 miles) from New Delhi, India, Friday, Feb. 27, 2015. During Lathmar Holi the women of Barsana beat the men from Nandgaon, the hometown of Lord Krishna, with wooden sticks in response to their teasing. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)
- Indian Hindu devotees pray as others throw colored powder on them at the Nandagram temple, famous for Lord Krishna and his brother Balram, during Lathmar holi festival, in Nandgaon, India, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015. During Lathmar Holi the women of Nandgaon, the hometown of Krishna, beat the men from Barsana, the legendary hometown of Radha, consort of Hindu God Krishna, with wooden sticks in response to their teasing as they depart the town. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)
- Indian Hindu devotees from Barsana village, smeared in colored powder, pray at the Nandagram Temple, famous for Lord Krishna and his brother Balram, during Lathmar holi festival, in Nandgaon, India, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015. During Lathmar Holi the women of Nandgaon, the hometown of Krishna, beat the men from Barsana, the legendary hometown of Radha, consort of Hindu God Krishna, with wooden sticks in response to their teasing as they depart the town. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)
- Hindu widows throw colored powder on an Indian policeman as they celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, at the Meera Sahabhagini Widow Ashram in Vrindavan, India, Tuesday, March 3, 2015. The widows, many of whom at times have lived desperate lives in the streets of the temple town, celebrated the Hindu festival of colors at the ashram. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
- Trays filled with colored powder and flower petals lie on a floor to be used by widows to celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, at the Meera Sahabhagini Widow Ashram in Vrindavan, India, Tuesday, March 3, 2015. After their husband’s deaths many of the women in the ashrams have been banished by their families, for supposedly bringing bad luck, while some move voluntarily to and around the town where devotees believe Lord Krishna was born. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
- A widow raises her hands as others throw colored powder on her during celebrations marking Holi at the Meera Sahabhagini Widow Ashram in Vrindavan, India, Tuesday, March 3, 2015. The widows, many of whom at times have lived desperate lives in the streets of the temple town, celebrated the Hindu festival of colors at the ashram. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
- Indian Hindu widows play with colored powder as part of Holi celebrations at the Pagal Baba Ashram in Vrindavan, India, Tuesday, March 3, 2015. The widows, many of whom at times have lived desperate lives in the streets of the temple town, celebrated the Hindu festival of colors at the ashram. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)
- Indian Hindu devotees smeared with colors visit the Nandagram temple, famous for Lord Krishna and his brother Balram, during Lathmar holi festival, in Nandgaon, India, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015. During Lathmar Holi the women of Nandgaon, the hometown of Krishna, beat the men from Barsana, the legendary hometown of Radha, consort of Hindu God Krishna, with wooden sticks in response to their teasing as they depart the town. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)
- A Hindu widow lies on a sludgy ground filled with a mixture of colored powder, water and flower petals during celebrations to mark Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, at the Meera Sahabhagini Widow Ashram in Vrindavan, India, Tuesday, March 3, 2015. After their husband’s deaths many of the women in the ashrams have been banished by their families, for supposedly bringing bad luck, while some move voluntarily to and around the town where devotees believe Lord Krishna was born. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
- Two stray dogs play at the entrance of an ashram before Indian widows celebrate Holi or “festival of colors” in Vrindavan on March 3, 2015. Widows congregated on a small patio of the ashram in which they live and danced and played with colored powder to celebrate the occasion. The widows of this and other ashrams in this northern town are sponsored by the NGO, Sulabh International which funds most of their needs. Shunned from society when their husbands die, not for religious reasons, but because of tradition, many Indian widows have been otracized from society and no longer live with their families and are forced to beg for food. Almost 2,000 of the estimated 34 million widows currently living in India live in Vrindavan and benefit from the welfare extended by the NGO. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images)
- Indian widows throw petals as a sign of welcome on the arrival of Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of NGO Sulabh International which funds some Indian widows sheltering in ashrams, before playing Holi or the ‘festival of colours’ in Vindravan on March 3, 2015. Shunned from society when their husbands die, not for religious reasons, but because of tradition many Indian widows were otracized from society, no longer lived with their families and were forced to beg for food. Almost 2,000 of the estimated 34 million widows currently living in India live in Vrindavan and benefit from the welfare extended by the NGO. The widows were attending a ceremony where they celebrate Holi or “festival of colors”. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images)
- Two Indian widows touch their foreheads as they celebrate Holi or “festival of colors” in Vrindavan on March 3, 2015. Widows congregated on a small patio of the ashram in which they live and danced and played with colored powder to celebrate the occasion. The widows of this and other ashrams in this northern town are sponsored by the NGO, Sulabh International which funds most of their needs. Shunned from society when their husbands die, not for religious reasons, but because of tradition, many Indian widows have been otracized from society and no longer live with their families and are forced to beg for food. Almost 2,000 of the estimated 34 million widows currently living in India live in Vrindavan and benefit from the welfare extended by the NGO. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images)
- Indian widows dance as they celebrate Holi or “festival of colors” in Vrindavan on March 3, 2015. Widows congregated on a small patio of the ashram in which they live and danced and played with colored powder to celebrate the occasion. The widows of this and other ashrams in this northern town are sponsored by the NGO, Sulabh International which funds most of their needs. Shunned from society when their husbands die, not for religious reasons, but because of tradition, many Indian widows have been otracized from society and no longer live with their families and are forced to beg for food. Almost 2,000 of the estimated 34 million widows currently living in India live in Vrindavan and benefit from the welfare extended by the NGO. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images)
- Indian widows dance as they celebrate Holi or “festival of colors” in Vrindavan on March 3, 2015. Widows congregated on a small patio of the ashram in which they live and danced and played with colored powder to celebrate the occasion. The widows of this and other ashrams in this northern town are sponsored by the NGO, Sulabh International which funds most of their needs. Shunned from society when their husbands die, not for religious reasons, but because of tradition, many Indian widows have been otracized from society and no longer live with their families and are forced to beg for food. Almost 2,000 of the estimated 34 million widows currently living in India live in Vrindavan and benefit from the welfare extended by the NGO. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images)
- Indian widows listen to a talk by Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of NGO Sulabh International which funds some Indian widows sheltering in ashrams in Vindravan on March 3, 2015. Shunned from society when their husbands die, not for religious reasons, but because of tradition many Indian widows were otracized from society, no longer lived with their families and were forced to beg for food. Almost 2,000 of the estimated 34 million widows currently living in India live in Vrindavan and benefit from the welfare extended by the NGO. The widows were attending a ceremony where they celebrate Holi or “festival of colors”. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images)
- An Indian widow dances as they celebrate Holi or “festival of colors” in Vrindavan on March 3, 2015. Widows congregated on a small patio of the ashram in which they live and danced and played with colored powder to celebrate the occasion. The widows of this and other ashrams in this northern town are sponsored by the NGO, Sulabh International which funds most of their needs. Shunned from society when their husbands die, not for religious reasons, but because of tradition, many Indian widows have been otracized from society and no longer live with their families and are forced to beg for food. Almost 2,000 of the estimated 34 million widows currently living in India live in Vrindavan and benefit from the welfare extended by the NGO. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images)
- An Indian widow lies on a patio floor covered in flower petals and colored powder as they celebrate Holi or “festival of colors” in Vrindavan on March 3, 2015. Widows congregated on a small patio of the ashram in which they live and danced and played with colored powder to celebrate the occasion. The widows of this and other ashrams in this northern town are sponsored by the NGO, Sulabh International which funds most of their needs. Shunned from society when their husbands die, not for religious reasons, but because of tradition, many Indian widows have been otracized from society and no longer live with their families and are forced to beg for food. Almost 2,000 of the estimated 34 million widows currently living in India live in Vrindavan and benefit from the welfare extended by the NGO. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images)
- Two Indian widows roll on a patio floor covered in flower petals and colored powder as they celebrate Holi or “festival of colors” in Vrindavan on March 3, 2015. Widows congregated on a small patio of the ashram in which they live and danced and played with colored powder to celebrate the occasion. The widows of this and other ashrams in this northern town are sponsored by the NGO, Sulabh International which funds most of their needs. Shunned from society when their husbands die, not for religious reasons, but because of tradition, many Indian widows have been otracized from society and no longer live with their families and are forced to beg for food. Almost 2,000 of the estimated 34 million widows currently living in India live in Vrindavan and benefit from the welfare extended by the NGO. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images)
- Indian widows dance as they celebrate Holi or “festival of colors” in Vrindavan on March 3, 2015. Widows congregated on a small patio of the ashram in which they live and danced and played with colored powder to celebrate the occasion. The widows of this and other ashrams in this northern town are sponsored by the NGO, Sulabh International which funds most of their needs. Shunned from society when their husbands die, not for religious reasons, but because of tradition, many Indian widows have been otracized from society and no longer live with their families and are forced to beg for food. Almost 2,000 of the estimated 34 million widows currently living in India live in Vrindavan and benefit from the welfare extended by the NGO. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images)
- An Indian widow dances as she celebrates Holi or “festival of colors” in Vrindavan on March 3, 2015. Widows congregated on a small patio of the ashram in which they live and danced and played with colored powder to celebrate the occasion. The widows of this and other ashrams in this northern town are sponsored by the NGO, Sulabh International which funds most of their needs. Shunned from society when their husbands die, not for religious reasons, but because of tradition, many Indian widows have been otracized from society and no longer live with their families and are forced to beg for food. Almost 2,000 of the estimated 34 million widows currently living in India live in Vrindavan and benefit from the welfare extended by the NGO. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images)