Men watching Kalash women dancing, Spring Festival, Joshi, Bumburet Valley, Pakistan, Asia

Spring cherry blossom festival, Jinhei, South Korea, Asia

Spring cherry blossom festival, Jinhei, South Korea, Asia

Shoppers fill a mall downtown during the traditional Chinese New Year Spring Festival, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, Asia

Multicolored handmade lanterns hang from trees in a park during the Chinese New Year Spring Festival, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, Asia

Decorations made with flowers, Noto Flower Festival, Noto, Noto Valley, Sicily, Italy

Decorations made with flowers, Noto Flower Festival, Noto, Noto Valley, Sicily, Italy

Decorations made with flowers, Noto Flower Festival, Noto, Noto Valley, Sicily, Italy

Decorations made with flowers, Noto Flower Festival, Noto, Noto Valley, Sicily, Italy

Decorations made with flowers, Noto Flower Festival, Noto, Noto Valley, Sicily, Italy

Spring cherry blossom festival, Jinhei, South Korea, Asia

Spring cherry blossom festival, Jinhei, South Korea, Asia

Temples and shrines during the cherry blossom (sakura) season and festivals, Kyoto, Honshu, Japan, Asia

Temples and shrines during the cherry blossom (sakura) season and festivals, Kyoto, Honshu, Japan, Asia

Romeria del Rocio festival, El Rocio, Andalucia (Andalusia), Spain, Europe

Spring cherry blossom festival, Jinhei, South Korea, Asia

Spring cherry blossom festival, Jinhei, South Korea, Asia

Dragon Dance, Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Beijing, China, Asia

Two young girls in costume dressed as flowers celebrating a Rite of Spring celebration, Cozumel, Mexico, North America

Lavender Festival at village of Velo Grablje, Hvar island, Croatia, Southeast Europe

Colorful and painted Easter eggs in traditional Easter market, Vienna, Austria

Colorful and painted Easter eggs in traditional Easter market, Vienna, Austria

Colorful and painted Easter eggs in traditional Easter market, Vienna, Austria

Festival of Light (Inti Raymi festival) Cochas Community, Angochagua Parochia, Imbabura Province, Ecuador

Miko or shrine maiden (Young women serving in a Shinto shrine) at Kasuga Taisha Shinto shrine, Nara, Japan

Carnival Parade at the Macedonio Alcala Street, Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca State, Mexico

White almond blossom trees in orchard set below mountains, Fageca, Alicante Province, Valencia, Spain, Europe

Young participants in colorful uniforms in a celebration parade in Puning City, Guangdong Province, China

Decorations for the Vietnamese and Chinese New Year at a shop in Cholon, the Chinese district, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Woman in poppy field, Castelluccio di Norcia, Norcia, Umbria, Italy, Europe

Azaleas (Rhododendron) garden of the Nezu-jinja Shrine, located in Bunkyo district north of Tokyo, Japan

Traditional dressed young girls in a rose garden during the Rose Festival in the Rose Valley, Kazanlak, Bulgaria, Europe

Spring cherry blossom festival, Jinhei, South Korea, Asia

Men in traditional samurai costume, parade of Nikko Spring Festival, Toshogu Shrine, Nikko, Tochigi prefecture, Japan, Asia

Parade of Nikko Spring Festival, five storey pagoda at Toshogu Shrine, Nikko, Tochigi prefecture, Japan, Asia

Decorations at a Temple Fair at Donyue Temple during Chinese New Year Spring Festival, Beijing, China, Asia

Decorations at a Temple Fair at Donyue Temple during Chinese New Year Spring Festival, Beijing, China, Asia

Decorations at a Temple Fair at Donyue Temple during Chinese New Year Spring Festival, Beijing, China, Asia

A flower market at Changdian Street Fair during Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Beijing, China, Asia

Food stalls selling meat sticks at Changdian Street Fair during Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Beijing, China, Asia

Stilt walkers, Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Beijing, China, Asia

Lion Dance, Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Beijing, China, Asia

Lion Dance, Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Beijing, China, Asia

Dragon Dance, Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Beijing, China, Asia

Dragon Dance, Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Beijing, China, Asia

People crowding the street at Changdian Street Fair during Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Beijing, China, Asia

Fasnact spring carnival fire festival, Liestal, Switzerland, Europe

Fasnact spring carnival parade, Lucerne, Switzerland, Europe

Decorated floats at Takayama spring festival, Honshu Island, Japan, Asia

Fasnact spring carnival fire festival, Liestal, Switzerland, Europe

Sisters Meal Festival in spring, southeast Guizhou, Guizhou, China, Asia

Fasnact spring carnival parade, Weil am Rhein, Germany, Europe

Good Friday procession, Enna, Sicily, Italy, Mediterranean, Europe

Fasnact spring carnival parade, Weil am Rhein, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, Europe

Musicians at Takayama spring festival, Honshu Island, Japan, Asia

Stilt walkers, Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Beijing, China, Asia

Fasnact spring carnival parade, Weil am Rhein, Germany, Europe

Decorated floats at Takayama spring festival, Honshu Island, Japan, Asia

Decorated floats at Takayama spring festival, Honshu Island, Japan, Asia

Fasnact spring carnival parade, Weil am Rhein, Germany, Europe

Decorations at a Temple Fair at Donyue Temple during Chinese New Year Spring Festival, Beijing, China, Asia

Asiatic garden zone, Floriade 2002, Holland, Europe

Fasnact spring carnival parade, Weil am Rhein, Germany, Europe

Murcia - Spain Spring Festivals - Burial of the Sardine Spectators reach out for gifts thrown from the floats

Murcia - Spain Spring Festivals - Burial of the Sardine Dancing with fireworks during the parade

Feria (Spring Fair) in Seville, Andalucia (Andalusia), Spain, Europe

Mani mask dancers at mani festival marks setting in of spring season in humla. masked dances diversion a long-established part of bonpo religious ceremonies.Dance Is means by which supernatural forces be brought down to world of. Dance recalls a time when distance between spirits samll. Humla, north-west nepal

A solitary mask dancer appears wearing a frightening mask and silk brocade. they circle the courtyard with sprightly leaps. called protectors of faith, or dharmapdla, the origins of figures like these can be traced back to the pre-aryan peoples of india. originally known as yaksas (literally, a wondrous thing), they were tree spirits, who were accepted by the buddhists as defenders of the faith. in nepal and tibet, as in india, local deities were converted into protectors. a devotee of an alien sect devised a means to humiliate the buddha and his disciples. the buddha discovered it and succeeded in converting him to his teaching. due to lack of wisdom, the buddha remarked, some could not realize the goodness of his disciples and he compared the ignorant to the blind and the wise to those who have eyes.nobody is condemned in buddhism, for greatness is latent even in the seemingly lowliest just as lotuses spring from muddy ponds. -the dhammapada. solu khumbu, nepal

Murcia - Spain Spring Festivals - Burial of the Sardine Spectators reach out for gifts thrown from the floats

Murcia - Spain Spring Festivals - Burial of the Sardine Spectators collecting gifts thrown from the floats

Murcia - Spain Spring Festivals - Burial of the Sardine Spectators watching the fireworks during parades

Murcia - Spain Spring Festivals - Burial of the Sardine Spectators reach out for gifts thrown from the floats

Murcia - Spain Spring Festivals - Burial of the Sardine Aftermath of the night's festivities

Murcia - Spain Spring Festivals - Burial of the Sardine Fireworks at the end of the evening parade

Murcia - Spain Spring Festivals - Burial of the Sardine Dancing with fireworks during the parade

Murcia - Spain Spring Festivals - Burial of the Sardine Spectators join in the action as the floats pass by

Shrine maidens dressed in traditional costume, Meiji Jingu Spring Grand Festival Celebration, Meiji Jingu Shrine, Tokyo, Japan, Asia

Bugaku dancer, Meiji Jingu Spring Grand Festival Celebration, Meiji Jingu Shrine, Tokyo, Japan, Asia

Bugaku musician and dancers, Meiji Jingu Spring Grand Festival Celebration, Meiji Jingu Shrine, Tokyo, Japan, Asia

Bugaku musician and dancers, Meiji Jingu Spring Grand Festival Celebration, Meiji Jingu Shrine, Tokyo, Japan, Asia

Murcia - Spain Spring Festivals - Burial of the Sardine Spectators watching fireworks during parade

Shrine maidens dressed in traditional costume, Meiji Jingu Spring Grand Festival Celebration, Meiji Jingu Shrine, Tokyo, Japan, Asia

Noh dancer, Meiji Jingu Spring Grand Festival Celebration, Meiji Jingu Shrine, Tokyo, Japan, Asia

Bulgaria

Cherry blossoms festival at Sumida Park, Tokyo, Japan

Kyoto, Japan

Cherry blossoms festival at Sumida Park, Tokyo, Japan

Taue Festival, Shirakawa-go, Gifu Prefecture, Japan

Kyoto, Japan

Taue Festival, Shirakawa-go, Gifu Prefecture, Japan

Taue Festival, Shirakawa-go, Gifu Prefecture, Japan

Koinoborinosatomatsuri, Gunma, Japan

Ainokura, Gokayama Village, Toyama Prefecture, Japan

Sounkyo Hyobaku Festival, Hokkaido, Japan

Group of people sitting at Chicago Blues Festival, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Group of people sitting at Chicago Blues Festival, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Young pilgrims dancing Sevillanas beside a campfire at night, RomerÃŒa al RocÃŒo, El RocÃŒo, pilgrimage, Andalusia, Spain

Trobada de Batacudes, drum parade, Festes de Primavera, spring festival, Manacor, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain, Europe

Young girls at the Anthesteria Flower Festival, parade, Germasogeia, Limassol, South Cyprus, Cyprus

Installations for the Lemon Festival, Menton, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France