A girl reacts as coloured paint is put on on her face, in Chennai. Photograph: Babu/reuters

People react as priests throw coloured water on them during Holi celebrations at the Bankey Bihari temple, in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh. Photograph: Anindito Mukherjee/reuters

A boy covered in paint smiles for the camera, in Delhi. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

Widows and harijan, or former untouchables, play with water guns at the Meera Sahbhagini ashram, in Vrindavan. Photograph: Manish Swarup/AP

A tourist celebrates Holi in Kathmandu, Nepal. Photograph: Navesh Chitrakar/reuters

People celebrate Holi in Kathmandu. it is celebrated all over Nepal as well as India. Photograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters

A group of ethnic Newari people celebrate the Holi in Bhaktapur, Nepal. Photograph: Narendra Shrestha/EPA

A child dressed as the Hindu god Krishna at the Sri Laxmi Narayan temple, in Amritsar. Photograph: Raminder Pal Singh/EPA

A woman is thrown in the air as revellers take part in Holi celebrations organised by members of South Korea's Indian community at Haeundae beach, in Busan. Photograph: Ed Jones/AFP/Getty Images

A Hindu priest throws coloured powder at the devotees during Holi celebrations at Bankey Bihari temple in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh. Photograph: Ahmad Masood/Reuters

A man is smeared in coloured powder at the Sri Laxmi Narayan temple, in Amritsar. Photograph: Raminder Pal Singh/EPA

A girl is hit by coloured powder, in Chennai. Photograph: Babu/reuters

A boy sits in a plastic container filled with coloured water in Chennai. Photograph: Babu/reuters

Students rub coloured power onto their teacher's head at a school in Ahmedabad. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters

A boy reacts as coloured water is sprayed on him in Chennai. Photograph: Babu/reuters

A widow rests during Holi celebrations in Vrindavan. Breaking centuries-old tradition, around 1,000 widows living in the holy city of Vrindavan celebrated the spring colour festival. Widows are considered social outcasts by some, and often refrain from celebrating Holi. Photograph: Prakash Singh/AFP/Getty Images