Millions of people in South Asia are celebrating Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, 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, 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,