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

N EW DELHI — 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.

Millions of Indians are celebrating Holi, the festival of colours. The spring festival symbolises the victory of good over evil and marks the end of winter. People light a bonfire, smear or spray friends and family members with colour and water,