Millions of Indians are celebrating holi festivalDancing to the beat of the drums, smudging each other with red, green, and yellow, and swapping candies in homes, parks, and streets.
Without masks and other COVID-19 restrictions after two years, they splashed colored water on each other on Wednesday.
“Wishing you all a happy and colorful Holi!” tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Bollywood and other celebrities throw parties for friends and post photos on social media.
“Those who work hard, play hard,” said Ravi Sharma, a pharmacy owner.
One of the most famous Hindu festivals, Holi, also marks the beginning of spring, celebrating the sacred love of the Hindu god Krishna with his consort Radha.
On Tuesday evening, people light a fire with logs in the empty space to celebrate the victory of good over evil – the Hindu god Vishnu slaying a demon, Hiranyakashipu.
Holi traditions vary across India. In two northern towns, hundreds of women celebrated last week by playfully hitting men with wooden sticks in response to their teasing as part of a ritual.
Drinking is part of the celebration. New Delhi reported record alcohol sales on Monday, a whopping 2.6 million bottles sold in a single day, compared with an average of 1.1 million bottles, according to The Times of India newspaper.
