Holi: The Festival of Colors

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Indian villagers smear themselves with colors during the Lathmar Holi festival at the Nandji Temple in Nandgaon, India. Holi, the Festival of Colors, is a popular celebration in which participants throw brightly colored powders and liquids to commemorate the Hindu God Krishna and celebrate the arrival of Spring on the last full moon of the lunar month.

Manan Vatsyayana/AFP/Getty Images

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Hindu devotees smear color on each other while celebrating Holi at the Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan, India. Vrindavan is a famous place for Holi celebrations, where according to legend, the Hindu god Krishna played Holi with his consort Radha.

Kevin Frayer/AP

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Revelers celebrate Holi in Lahore, Pakistan.

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Young Indian Hindu worshipers from Barsana taunt men from Nandgaon before being sprayed with water during Lathmar Holi at Nandagram Temple. According to tradition that has its roots in Hindu mythology, men from Barsana arrive at the temple where they are soaked in colored water by men from Nandgaon, believed to be Lord Krishna's village, and then beaten by the women of the village with wooden sticks as they depart the town.

Kevin Frayer/AP

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Hindus carry colored powder that is to be thrown upon worshipers during celebrations for Holi in Vrindavan.

Kevin Frayer/AP

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Hindus pray and face a deity as colored powder is thrown on them during a celebration of Holi in Vrindavan.

Kevin Frayer/AP

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An Indian man dances amid a cloud of colored powder during Holi celebrations in Gauhati, India. Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, also heralds the coming of spring.

Anupam Nath/AP

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Indian Hindu devotees pour colored water on themselves and each other after taking part in Holi celebrations at the Baldev Temple in Dauji, India.

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Indian villagers covered in colored powder stand in the street during Holi festivities, south of New Delhi, India.

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Hindu devotees put red powder on the head of a local television news reporter while celebrating Holi, the festival of color, at the Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan.

Kevin Frayer/AP

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A young Indian boy is smeared with colored powder and glitter on his face during Holi celebrations in Allahabad, India.

Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP

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An Indian Hindu worshiper is dragged through red dye at Nandagram Temple.

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An Indian girl, her face smeared with colored powder, reacts as water is squirted on her during Holi celebrations in Chennai, India.