Holi festival celebrated across India and Nepal - in pictures

People gather to celebrate Holi in Kathmandu on March 5. Navesh Chitrakar / Reuters

A man reacts as coloured powder is applied while celebrating Holi in Mumbai on March 6. Danish Siddiqui / Reuters

Indian children from the Bright Academy pose with coloured powder known as gulal used during the Holi festival in Siliguri on March 4. Diptendu DUTTA / AFP Photo

Widows daubed in colours chant religious hymns as they dance during the Holi celebrations organised by non-governmental organisation Sulabh International at a widows’ ashram at Vrindavan in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on March 4. Anindito Mukherjee / Reuters

An Indian widow dances as they celebrate Holi or “festival of colours” in Vrindavan on March 3. Roberto Schmidt / AFP Photo

An Indian woman’s face is smeared with coloured powder during celebrations of the Holi festival in the Sivasagar district of northeastern Assam state on March 6. AFP Photo

Indian children from the Bright Academy play with coloured powder known as gulal as they celebrate the Holi festival in Siliguri on March 4. Diptendu Dutta / AFP Photo

Hindu widows throw coloured powder on an Indian policeman as they celebrate Holi at the Meera Sahabhagini Widow Ashram in Vrindavan, India on March 3. Bernat Armangue / AP Photo

Widows daubed in colours dance as they take part in the Holi celebrations organised by non-governmental organisation Sulabh International at a widows’ ashram at Vrindavan organised by non-governmental organisation Sulabh International at a widows’ ashram at Vrindavan in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on March 5. Adnan Abidi / Reuters

A teacher throws coloured powder on schoolchildren during celebrations marking Holi at a school in Ahmadabad on March 5. Ajit Solanki / AP Photo

Indian revellers dance as during Holi celebrations in Hyderabad on March 5. Noah Seelam / AFP Photo

A widow raises her hands as others throw coloured powder on her during celebrations marking Holi at the Meera Sahabhagini Widow Ashram in Vrindavan, India, on March 3. Bernat Armangue / AP Photo

A Hindu widow lies on a sludgy ground filled with a mixture of coloured powder, water and flower petals during celebrations to mark Holi at the Meera Sahabhagini Widow Ashram in Vrindavan, India on March 3. Bernat Armangue / AP Photo

The face of a widow is seen daubed in colour after she took part in the Holi celebrations organised by non-governmental organisation Sulabh International at a widows’ ashram at Vrindavan in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh March 4. Anindito Mukherjee / Reuters