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.

The vivid festival marks the beginning of spring, symbolizes the defeat of evil and celebrates the love between the Hindu deities Krishna and Radha.

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.