Millions of people celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colors

NEW DELHI (AP) — 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.

The raucous spring festival sees Hindus take part in a kaleidoscopic celebration of the end of winter and the triumph of good over evil. The festival is a national holiday in India, while in Nepal it's a two-day event that began Thursday. It's also observed in other South Asian countries as well as among the Indian diaspora.

Holi has its origins in Hindu mythology and lore and celebrates the divine love between the Hindu god Krishna and his consort Radha, and signifies a time of rebirth and rejuvenation.

Across the country, people, mostly dressed in all white clothes, celebrated the festival by hurling colored powder at each other. Children, perched on rooftops and balconies, flung water balloons filled with colored pigments at passers by.

Groups of young men also used water guns to chase people down in public parks and on the roads, while others danced on the streets to music blaring from speakers.

In New Delhi, a rainbow haze hung in the air around a park where the group of friends splashed one another with pigmented powder and colored water.

“It’s time for fun and frolic,” said Krisha Bedi, a lawyer, whose face was covered with red, green and blue colors.

In some places, people hurled marigolds, roses and jasmine petals instead of colored powder.

Amid massive celebrations in the west Indian city of Ahmedabad, thousands of people gathered at temple were sprayed with colored water from huge pipes as they swayed to traditional Gujarati music, clapping over their heads.

Food and drink are a big part of the festivities. Vendors in parts of India sold thandai, a traditional light green beverage prepared with milk, cardamom and dried fruit, and gujia, a flaky, deep-fried sweet pastry stuffed with milk curds, nuts and dried fruit.

Another tradition that marks Holi is bhang, a local drink prepared with cannabis and consumed with milk or water. The drink is connected to Hinduism, particularly to Lord Shiva, and is also enjoyed during other religious festivals in the region. Its consumption is permissible under Indian law and it is also sold at government licensed shops.

In many parts of India, people also light large bonfires the night before the festival to signify the destruction of evil and victory of good. Families gather around the flames to sing, dance and pray to Hindu gods.

In two northern towns, hundreds of women celebrated last week by playfully hitting men who teased them as a part of ritual with wooden sticks. The festival is called “Lathmar Hol,” or Stick Holi.

People perform rituals around the bonfire or sacred fire called 'Holi ka dahan' during Holi festival celebrations in Palaj village near Gandhinagar, India, Thursday, March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Devotees cheer as colored powder and water is sprayed on them during celebrations of Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, at the Kalupur Swaminarayan temple in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Piyush Nagpal)

Devotees cheer as colored powder and water is sprayed on them during celebrations of Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, at the Kalupur Swaminarayan temple in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Piyush Nagpal)

A girl with her face smeared with colored powder smiles during Holi celebrations, the Hindu festival of colors, in Mumbai, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Villagers covered in color participate in the Lathmar Holi at the Nandagram temple in Nandgoan village, 115 kilometers (70 miles) south of New Delhi, India, Sunday, March 9, 2025. (AP Photo)

Villagers from Barsana and Nandgaon smeared with colors participate in Lathmar Holi at Nandagram temple in Nandgoan village, 115 kilometers (70 miles) south of New Delhi, India, Sunday, March 9, 2025. (AP Photo)

Villagers from Barsana and Nandgaon smeared with colors sing and dance as they participate Lathmar Holi at Nandagram temple in Nandgoan village, 115 kilometers (70 miles) south of New Delhi, India, Sunday March 9, 2025. (AP Photo)

A girl throws colored powder on her friend as they celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Mumbai, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Revelers smeared with colors dance on a street during Holi festival in Guwahati, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

People apply color powder on each other as they celebrate Holi festival in Guwahati, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

Indian security personnel from Sasastra Seema Bal (SSB) dance as they celebrate Holi inside their base camp in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

An Indian security personnel from the Sasastra Seema Bal (SSB) with his family play Holi inside their base camp in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Indians play with colours as they celebrate Holi in Jammu, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)

Indians play with colours as they celebrate Holi in Jammu, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)

Indians play with colours as they celebrate Holi in Jammu, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)

A priest sprays colored powder and water on devotees during celebrations of Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, at the Kalupur Swaminarayan temple in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

A priest sprays colored powder and water on devotees during celebrations of Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, at the Kalupur Swaminarayan temple in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

A woman has her face smeared with coloured powder as they celebrate Holi, the festival of colours, in Chennai, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

A child plays with a water gun to celebrate Holi, the festival of colours, in Chennai, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

A woman has her face smeared with coloured powder as they celebrate Holi, the festival of colours, in Chennai, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

A girl throws colored powder on her friend as they celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Mumbai, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Hindu devotees cheer as they celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, at the Lord Jagannath temple in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Hindu devotees cheer as they celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, at the Lord Jagannath temple in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Hindu devotees cheer as they celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, at the Lord Jagannath temple in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Holi festival Holi celebration at the Lord Jagannath temple in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

People perform rituals around the bonfire or sacred fire called 'Holi ka dahan' during Holi festival celebrations in Palaj village near Gandhinagar, India, Thursday, March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

People perform rituals around a sacred fire called 'Holi ka dahan' during Holi festival celebrations in Palaj village near Gandhinagar, India, Thursday, March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Villagers from Barsana and Nandgaon smeared with colors sing and dance as they participate Lathmar Holi at Nandagram temple in Nandgoan village, 115 kilometers (70 miles) south of New Delhi, India, Sunday March 9, 2025. (AP Photo)

HONG KONG (AP) — A Hong Kong court began hearing arguments Monday about the sentencing of democracy advocate and onetime-media magnate Jimmy Lai and his co-defendants, whose convictions under a national security law could land them in prison for life.

Lai, 78, is the founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper and an outspoken critic of China’s ruling Communist Party. He was arrested in 2020 under the law imposed by Beijing following massive anti-government protests that rocked Hong Kong the year before.

In December, he was found guilty of conspiring with others to collude with foreign forces and conspiracy to publish seditious articles.

His conviction raised concerns about the curtailing of press freedom in the former British colony, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

His case could also be a test for Beijing's diplomatic ties. The verdict drew criticism from foreign governments, including the U.S. and Britain. After the verdict, U.S. President Donald Trump, who had raised Lai’s case with China, said he felt “so badly.”

Lai, alongside other co-defendants involved in the case, appeared in court for the four-day mitigation hearings. The maximum penalty for their convictions is life imprisonment. Sentencing will come later.

The court Monday morning heard arguments concerning two activists’ sentences. Lawyers representing them suggested the starting points of their clients’ sentences should be 10 years and 10 to 15 years respectively, but they should receive reductions in part due to their assistance in the case.

Lai’s lawyer Robert Pang will deliver his arguments in the afternoon.

When Lai entered the courtroom, he pressed his palms together, an apparent gesture to express gratitude, and smiled at those sitting in the gallery. The media tycoon appeared to be in good spirits and greeted a convicted Apple Daily editor who was also sitting in the dock.

In August, his lawyers told the court that he suffered from heart palpitations. Hong Kong’s government said no abnormalities were found in a subsequent medical exam.

Prosecutor Anthony Chau said Lai’s health was stable. Chau said Lai had lost just 0.8 kg (about 1.8 pounds) over five years of detention, weighing 79.2 kg (about 175 pounds) when it was last measured this month. Lai is still considered obese as an Asian adult, Chau said. The obesity comment drew chuckling from some members sitting in the public gallery, and Lai also smiled in the dock.

Before sunrise, dozens of people had already lined up outside the court building to secure a seat in the public gallery. Retiree Simon Ng, a former Apple Daily reader, said he arrived and waited in line since Friday morning, hoping to see Lai.

“I want to let him know that he’s not alone," Ng said. “Many people support him."

Lai was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to commit collusion with foreign forces to endanger national security, in addition to one count of conspiracy to distribute seditious publications. Lai pleaded not guilty to all charges.

A conviction on the collusion charge under the security law results in a sentence ranging from three years in jail to life, depending on the offense’s nature and his role in it. The sedition charge under a separate, colonial-era law carries a maximum of two years’ imprisonment.

Three government-vetted judges wrote in their December verdict that Lai spearheaded the conspiracies and took issue with what they called his “constant invitation” to the United States to bring down the Chinese government with the excuse of helping Hong Kongers.

Lai’s lawyers admitted during the trial that he had called for foreign sanctions before the national security law took effect, but insisted he dropped these calls to comply with the law. They also argued on freedom of expression grounds.

But the judges said that Lai had never wavered in his intention to destabilize the ruling Chinese Communist Party. After the enactment of the law, he intended to continue, though less explicitly, they said. They emphasized that Lai was not on trial for his political views.

Beijing has opposed what it called the smearing of Hong Kong's judiciary “by certain countries,” saying the judicial authorities perform duties according to the law.

Six ex-Apple Daily senior executives and two activists involved in Lai's case had entered guilty pleas, admitting that they had conspired with Lai and others to request foreign forces to impose sanctions, blockades or engage in other hostile activities.

The executives were publisher Cheung Kim-hung, associate publisher Chan Pui-man, editor-in-chief Ryan Law, executive editor-in-chief Lam Man-chung and editorial writers Fung Wai-kong and Yeung Ching-kee. Some of them, alongside the two activists Andy Li and Chan Tsz-wah, served as prosecution witnesses during the 156-day trial.

A guilty plea usually can lead to a sentence reduction. Under the security law, a reduced penalty may be granted to those who report on the offense committed by others.

Chan Pui man's husband, Chung Pui-kuen, a former top editor of Stand News who had been sentenced to 21 months in jail in a separate sedition case, was among those sitting in the public gallery.

After the verdict, Lai's daughter, Claire, said Lai would devote himself to God and his family rather than political activism if he were released.

Trump said after the verdict that he spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping about Lai and “asked to consider his release." British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said his government has made it a priority to secure the release of Lai, a British citizen.

Correctional Services Department vehicles arrive at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts, ahead of a hearing to hear arguments about the sentencing of democracy advocate and onetime media magnate Jimmy Lai, in Hong Kong, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/May James)

Members of foreign councils arrive at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts to attend a hearing to hear arguments about the sentencing of pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai, in Hong Kong, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/May James)

Robert Pang, center, lawyer for pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai arrives to the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts, ahead of a hearing to hear arguments about the sentencing of Lai, in Hong Kong, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/May James)

Teresa Lai, wife of pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai arrives to the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts to attend a hearing to hear arguments about the sentencing of Jimmy Lai, in Hong Kong, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/May James)

FILE- Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai is escorted by Correctional Services officers to get on a prison van before appearing in a court in Hong Kong, Dec. 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)