Hand-held fans are portable air conditioners—folding, flimsy, and fabulously fashioned like a slice of pizza. Made from paper, feathers, or any thin material you could find, they’re mounted on slats that pivot so they can fold away when you’re not trying to create your breeze. Before mechanical fans came along, these clever contraptions kept people cool and served as a handy tool for swatting flies and even fanning flames—be it in the kitchen or at the altar. Who knew a simple fan could multitask so stylishly?
Hand fans have existed since ancient Egypt—4000 years ago, when they were considered sacred. The folding fan made its debut in Japan around 637, flapping its way through China and India before Venice started importing them as the must-have Eastern import. In 6th-century Europe, the flabellum—a ceremonial fan—was used in churches to drive away insects from the holy bread and wine. Fast forward to the 18th and 19th centuries, and fans became a fashion staple, reaching peak chic in Victorian times. Even in Spain, flamenco dancers and nobility couldn’t resist the charm of a well-waved fan!
Throughout history, fans have been crafted from anything available locally. Early Egyptians and Chinese rocked ostrich and peacock feathers, while later models featured leaves made from animal skins, vellum, paper, lace, silk, etc. The first printed fan popped up in the 1720s—proving fans were the original page-turners! Guards and sticks have been fashioned from tortoiseshell, ivory, bone, mother of pearl, metal, and wood, often decked out in jewels, carvings, gilding, and vibrant paints. There are even specialty styles: a bris fan links separate sticks with ribbon, a cockade fan unfolds into a full circle with a single guard, and the no-frills, rigid fan for those who like their breeze served straightforwardly.
Portuguese traders unlocked the sea route to China in the 15th century. They sashayed into Japan by the mid-16th century—apparently, the original trendsetters who introduced Oriental fans to Europe, sparking a cool craze. Then, in 1685, when France revoked the Edict of Nantes, French fan craftsmen made a fashionable escape to Protestant countries like England, spreading their skills and raising the fan game across the continent. From the 16th century on, fans became high society’s chic, secret language.
The Indian Pankha
India, a tropical nation near the equator, endures scorching, humid summers thanks to warm, moisture-laden air from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Before electricity brightened rural homes, people beat the heat by chilling under shady trees or wielding trusty hand fans—known locally as pankha or punkha. While pankha, meaning bird feather, covers all fans, pankhi refers to ancient India’s dainty, plumed version.
Long ago, even epic poets knew a good fan was more than a breeze-maker. Valmiki whipped up a fan for Lord Ram—a dazzling, jewel-studded contraption that could give any moon a run for its money. Buddhist murals at Ajanta show a pankhawala fanning a noble family, proving that even royalty sometimes needed a fan to keep cool. Whether embroidered on fine cloth, chiseled in stone, or even doodled on an ancient napkin featuring Ganesha, pankhas were all the rage. They ranged from tiny two-inch wonders to giant fans that doubled as arm workouts. The Mughals took it so seriously that they even hired dedicated fan guys to keep the heat and egos at bay.
Villages and towns got creative with their pankhas, each crafting a fan as unique as local gossip. Some went bamboo or palm leaf, while others splurged on silk, brass, leather, or even silver blinged up with beads and stones. Each fan was a mini tribute to its hometown—take Rajasthan’s fan, a patchwork party of fabrics stitched together with flair. It’s not just a fan; it’s an incredible cultural accessory! In Gujarat, pankhas go glam—pure cotton fans bedazzled with mirror work and beads that are so stylish they might double as wall art. Meanwhile, West Bengal rocks its cool breeze with delicate Sola Pith and palm-leaf fans that are as essential in every home as a cup of tea.
Uttar Pradesh’s Phadh fan, adorned with gold, silver zari, silk, and satin frills, stands alongside Odisha’s large palm leaf fan, Delhi’s peacock feather fan, and Bihar’s colorful, sturdy bamboo fan—each celebrated for its age and rarity. Many Indian tribes have also embraced this art, crafting their own fans with geometric patterns and striking white-and-red designs accented by peacock feathers.
When the Portuguese came to Goa in 1510, they didn’t just bring their language, dress, chilies, cashews, and food—they brought fantastic style! Rich brides and widows paraded delicate fans for wedding bells and gloomy mourning, turning every church visit into a chic affair during extended services like Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. And when it came to the Mando—Goa’s own ballo nobile—a fan wasn’t just an accessory; it was the star of the show. No Mando competition is complete today without that classic hand-fan flair!
