The long weekend started off with the splendid and vibrant festival of Holi, setting off some wild and picturesque celebrations of the beloved holiday.Β From the streets of Kolkata and widows of Vrindavan to the borders of Srinagar, here is pictorial proof of India’s favourite festival, being honoured quite gloriously!

 

1. Rajasthan (Pushkar)

Holi Celebrations in Pushkar, Image by Nirvair Singh Rai

(Holi Celebrations in Pushkar, Image by Nirvair Singh Rai)

 

People are covered in coloured powder during "kapda phaar" (cloth tearing) Holi, as part of Holi celebrations in Pushkar in Rajasthan, India, March 24, 2016. REUTERS/Himanshu Sharma

(The “kapda phaar” tradition ofΒ Β Holi, inΒ Pushkar in Rajasthan by REUTERS/Himanshu Sharma)

 

( Image by Nirvair Singh Rai )

( Image by Nirvair Singh Rai )

 

( Image by Nirvair Singh Rai )

(Image by Nirvair Singh Rai )

 

2. Β Uttar Pradesh

A Hindu devotee watches the religious festival of Lathmar Holi, where women beat the men with sticks, in the town of Barsana, Uttar Pradesh, March 17, 2016. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton

( Lathmar Holi, where women beat the men with sticks, in Barsana, Uttar Pradesh by REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton.)

 

Hindu devotees take part in the religious festival of Holi, also known as the festival of colours, in the Nandgaon temple in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, March 18, 2016. REUTERS/Anindito Mukherjee

(Hindu devotees atΒ Nandgaon temple in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, March 18, 2016. REUTERS/Anindito Mukherjee)

 

Widows daubed in colours take a break during the Holi celebrations organised by non-governmental organisation Sulabh International at a temple at Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, March 21, 2016. REUTERS/Anindito Mukherjee

(Widows playing Holi Β  organised by non-governmental organisation Sulabh International at a temple at Vrindavan, Uttar PradeshΒ by REUTERS/Anindito Mukherjee)

 

(Widows celebrate Holi in Vrindavan, UP. Image by Anindito Mukherjee/Reuters)

(Widows celebrate Holi in Vrindavan, UP. Image by Anindito Mukherjee/Reuters)

 

 

(Hindu devotees take part in the religious festival of Lathmar Holi, where women beat the men with sticks, in the town of Barsana in Uttar Pradesh, March 17, 2016. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton)

(Lathmar Holi in the town of Barsana in Uttar PradeshΒ byΒ REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton)

 

3. Mumbai, Maharashtra

(The special children of Jiddha School are celebrating holi in Thane. Express photos by Ganesh Jadhav,Thane)

(The special children of Jiddha School celebratingΒ holi in Thane. Express photo by Ganesh Jadhav,Thane)

 

 

(Posing for a selfie while celebrating Holi in Mumbai, India, REUTERS/Shailesh Andrade)

(Posing for a selfie while celebrating Holi in Mumbai, India, by Β REUTERS/Shailesh Andrade)

 

(A girl reacts as others apply coloured powder on her face during Holi celebrations in Mumbai, March 24, 2016. REUTERS/Shailesh Andrade)

(Image by REUTERS/Shailesh Andrade)

 

A boy stands as others throw coloured powder on him during Holi celebrations in Mumbai, India March 24, 2016. REUTERS/Shailesh Andrade

(Image by REUTERS/Shailesh Andrade)

 

4. Delhi & Noida

A man smiles as he throws coloured powder during Holi celebrations in New Delhi, March 24, 2016. REUTERS/Anindito Mukherjee

( Coloured powder during Holi celebrations in New DelhiΒ byΒ REUTERS/Anindito Mukherjee)

 

Youths celebrating Holi in Noida, Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav

Β (Noida, Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)

 

5. Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Hindu devotees are sprayed with colours outside a temple during Holi celebrations in Ahmedabad, March 23, 2016. REUTERS/Amit Dave

(Hindu devotees are water gunnedΒ with colours outside a temple during Holi celebrations in AhmedabadΒ byΒ REUTERS/Amit Dave)

 

Hindu devotees daubed in colours sing religious songs inside a temple during Holi celebrations in Ahmedabad, India, March 23, 2016. REUTERS/Amit Dave TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

(More Holi celebrations in Ahmedabad, India, March 23, 2016. REUTERS/Amit Dave)

 

People daubed in colours dance while celebrating Holi in Ahmedabad, March 24, 2016. REUTERS/Amit Dave

( Dancing and Β celebrating Holi in Ahmedabad by REUTERS/Amit Dave)

 

6. Kolkata

Indian Hindus celebrate the festival of colors or Holi in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, March 23, 2016. The holiday, celebrated mainly in India and Nepal, marks the beginning of spring and the triumph of good over evil. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

(AP Photo/Bikas Das)

 

Road side vendors sell coloured powder for the Holi festival in Kolkata, March 22, 2016 REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri

( The multitude of colours sold by road side vendors inΒ KolkataΒ byΒ REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri)

 

People celebrate the festival of colors or Holi in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, March 23, 2016. (AP Photo)

 

Men dance as others throw coloured powder on them during Holi celebrations in Kolkata, India, March 24, 2016. REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri

(Men dancing in the streets Kolkata byΒ REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri)

 

7. Srinagar, Kashmir

A Border Security Force (BSF) soldier reacts as his colleagues apply coloured powder on his face during Holi celebrations at their camp in Humhama, on the outskirts of Srinagar, India March 24, 2016. REUTERS/Danish Ismail

(A Border Security Force (BSF) soldier enjoying theΒ celebrations at their camp in Humhama, on the outskirts of Srinagar, Β REUTERS/Danish Ismail)

 

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers with their faces smeared in coloured powder take a selfie during Holi celebrations at their camp in Humhama, on the outskirts of Srinagar, March 24, 2016. REUTERS/Danish Ismail

(Indian Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers with their faces smeared in coloured powder take a selfie during Holi celebrations at their camp in Humhama, on the outskirts of SrinagarΒ byΒ REUTERS/Danish Ismail)

 

8. Punjab

A students with her face smeared in coloured powder, celebrates Holi at a university campus in Chandigarh, March 23, 2016. REUTERS/Ajay Verma

(Image byΒ REUTERS/Ajay Verma)

 

A "Nihang", or a Sikh warrior, rides two horses as he performs during the Holla Mohalla festival in Anandpur Sahib in Punjab, India, March 24, 2016. "Hola Mohalla" is celebrated during the festival of Holi, marking the congregation of Sikh devotees from all over the country. REUTERS/Ajay Verma

(“Nihangs” or Sikh warriors also ride horses and perform various stunts to show off their prowess, in Anandpur Sahib in Punjab. Holla mohalla is a Holi centered congregation of Sikhs from all over the country by REUTERS/Ajay Verma)

 

Major Singh (C), a "Nihang" or Sikh warrior, wearing a traditional 425-metre-long turban holds his weapon before taking part in a procession during the Holla Mohalla festival in Anandpur Sahib in Punjab, India, March 24, 2016. REUTERS/Ajay Verma

(During Holla Mohalla “Nihangs” or Sikh warriors, wear a traditional 425-metre-long turbans, holds theirΒ weapons and take partΒ in a holy procession. This happened inΒ Anandpur Sahib in Punjab, by REUTERS/Ajay Verma)