Indians mark the reawakening of spring at Holi, the Hindu festival of colour

Indian women play with coloured powder during celebrations marking Holi, the Hindu festival of colours (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Millions of Indians celebrated the Hindu Holi festival on Monday, dancing, exchanging food and drink and covering one another with powder, turning the air into a joyful kaleidoscope of colour.

Widely known as the Hindu festival of colours, Holi marks the arrival of the spring season in India, Nepal and other South Asian countries as well as the diaspora.