There's no way to avoid getting smeared with colored powder, hosed with water guns or hit with sparkle-filled water balloons if you venture out of your home in India on Friday.

Millions of people in South Asia are celebrating Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, by smearing each other with brightly colored powder, dancing to festive music and feasting on traditional sweets prepared for the occasion.

Holi expands well beyond the Indian continent. Hindus celebrate in Bangladesh and Pakistan, plus other countries with large diaspora populations like Suriname, South Africa, and Malaysia. The United Kingdom and the United States also hold parties, concerts, and events across the country, making it possible for many to join the festivities.