In pictures: How India is celebrating the festival of colour Holi

Vibrant hues filled the air as millions of people across South Asia celebrated Holi, the Hindu festival of colour that signifies the arrival of spring in India.

Observed on the last full moon day of the Hindu luni-solar month of Falgun, Holi is marked by joyous gatherings, playful throwing of coloured powders, traditional music, dance, an abundance of sweets, and offering prayers to deities.

A street vendor sells water guns and coloured powders ahead of Holi festival in the northeastern state of Guwahati (AP)

Staff carry Gujiya, a sweet dish that is specially made for Holi, at a sweet shop in the national capital Delhi (AP)

The origin of Holi is steeped in legends telling of the victory of righteousness over evil. The most popular story is that of demon king Hiranyakashipu and his son Prahlad. Hiranyakashipu, who was granted near-immortality by the gods, grew arrogant and demanded everyone worship him. However, Prahlad remained a devout follower of Lord Vishnu, defying his father's command.

Infuriated, Hiranyakashipu plotted to kill Prahlad with the help of his sister Holika, who had a boon that made her immune to fire. Holika tricked Prahlad into sitting with her on a burning pyre, but her boon failed and she perished in the flames while Prahlad, protected by his unwavering devotion to Vishnu, emerged unscathed.

The story is commemorated through the ritual of Holika Dahan, which involves the lighting of bonfires on the eve of Holi to symbolise the destruction of evil.

A Hindu priest named Sanju jumps out of a fire during a Holi ritual known as 'Holika Dahan’ at Phalen village near the northern city of Mathura (Reuters)

Hindu devotees walk around a bonfire during a ritual known as 'Holika Dahan' on the outskirts of the western city of Ahmedabad (Reuters)

Another popular myth associates Holi with the playful love story of Lord Krishna and his consort Radha. The legend goes that dark-skinned Krishna was envious of Radha’s fair complexion, so his mother playfully suggested he smear colours on Radha's face to erase the difference. This legend is celebrated through the playful throwing of colours during Holi, symbolising love.

A devotee of International Society for Krishna Consciousness celebrates Holi at a temple on the outskirts of the northern city of Amritsar (AFP via Getty)

Northern India, particularly Uttar Pradesh state, celebrated the unique version of the festival called Lathmar Holi, which sees women playfully beat men with sticks and the men defend themselves with shields, re-enacting the legend of Krishna and Radha.

Women playfully hit revellers with sticks as a traditional ritual during the Lathmar Holi celebrations in Mathura in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh (AFP via Getty Images)

Indian widows celebrate Holi in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh (EPA)

In the eastern state of West Bengal, Holi coincides with Basanta Utsav, a festival initiated by poet Rabindranath Tagore that celebrates spring with songs, dances, and cultural performances.

People celebrate Holi by applying color to each other at a local market in the eastern city of Kolkata (EPA)

Social activists during Holi celebrations organised by the Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee, a collective of sex workers, in the redlight area of Sonagachi in Kolkata (AFP via Getty)

In Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, the two-day Masaan, or crematorium, Holi along the banks of the Ganges river attracts thousands of visitors from across India and beyond. During this unique celebration, devotees and ascetics apply ashes from funeral pyres to each other's faces, honouring both the cycle of death and the Hindu god Shiva.

Hindu devotees gather to celebrate 'Masaan' or 'Bhasma' Holi along the banks of the Ganga river in the northern Varanasi city (AFP via Getty)

Hindu devotees cheer as they celebrate Holi at the Lord Jagannath temple in Ahmedabad (AP)

Indian tribals dance to traditional folk tunes as they celebrate Holi, also known as Rajwadi Holi, in Nandurbar in the western state of Maharashtra (EPA)

While Holi is known as the festival of joy and togetherness, many women have spoken out about harassment under the guise of playful colour-throwing. Incidents of groping, inappropriate touching, and verbal harassment have been reported, particularly in crowded public spaces.

A video shared by Indian actor Tushar Shukla showing men throwing colours and water at women while making lewd remarks sparked outrage on social media. “Today I went to play Holi in Barsana. Everything was great, it was fun,” he asks in the video. “But I have a question: do only girls go to play Holi in Barsana? Why are they directly targeted in such an indecent manner? Men also come, so why not engage with them?”