Holi: Hindus across India and Nepal celebrate festival of colours

People have been celebrating the Hindu festival of Holi, also known as the festival of colours.

A group of people are sprayed with colours during celebrations in Ahmedabad

The festival, mainly celebrated in India and Nepal, marks the beginning of spring.

People in Uttar Pradesh celebrate the festival of colours

It also symbolises new beginnings.

A crowd completely covered in colours hold their hands in the air

Holi festival falls on the last full moon of the lunar month.

A child rubs colour onto another child's head

On the day of Holi, people throw liquid and powdered colour over each other. The night before, people light bonfires to signify good triumphing over evil.

College students pose for a photo as they take part in the Holi festival

The colours of the powders each have a different meaning. Red is meant to represent love and fertility, yellow is the colour of turmeric, blue is for the Hindu god Krishna and green symbolises new beginnings.

A crowd prays as they are sprayed with colours by a priest

Water based pigments are now being used in the creation of the coloured powder instead of traditional plant based colours including turmeric.

Images from the festival show crowds completely covered in colourful paint as they take part in the celebrations.

BBC reporters in Delhi (above) also took part in the festivities.

Students with their faces smeared in colourful powder dance

Aside from India, Holi is also celebrated in Nepal, which has a large Hindu population. A celebration is held in Kathmandu (below). It has also become popular in other countries around the world including the UK.

Nepalese people painted with coloured powder dance in Kathmandu