Hand Fans

The origin of hand fans can be traced as far back as 5,000 years ago in Egypt. The fan was seen as a sacred instrument used in religious ceremonies. It was also seen as a symbol of power even in its early forms. Other ancient people such as the Hebrews, Persians, Greeks, and Romans also used and fans in various forms.

The folding hand fan is recognized as being invented in Japan or China with both countries holding legends of its creation. In Japan the fan is thought to be modeled after the folding wings of a bat, while the Chinese believe the sight of a woman fanning her face showed at a festival led to the tool’s creation.

Regardless of how the folding fan originated, the device was taken to Europe in the 1500s by way of trade routes and became an exotic and stylish symbol of wealth and class.

The History of Indian Hand Fans is traced to ancient times for use in temples to fan deities, as also in royal courts and households. There is a mention of fans in Mahabharata. Temple fans vary in size from tiny two inches to large fans needing the full strength of a person to move them.

The villages and towns of Indian subcontinent have varieties of traditional hand fans. In each place, the hand fans are made of different materials and have different varieties of intricate designs.

Traditional crafts have survived in India because rural folk still make and use them. The same is true with traditional Indian hand fans and the basic principal lives on. Indian women are still connected with traditional hand fans. The craft of fan making is done mainly by women all over India.

There are antique ceiling fans from the Mughal and Colonial Period that were pulled by Pankha-walas from outside the room and used for large congregations in temples, royal courts and aristocratic darbars and offices. There are also labeled and large hand fans held by an attendant for groups of noble and women. Then there are ceremonial fans and a large variety of personalized fans.

Indian hand fans have many varieties, some fans are embellished with beads, silk, satin, some include paintings, prints, miniatures, patterns which tell a story of its origin from past to the present.

Department of Posts is releasing Commemorative Postage Stamps on the following 16 Indian Hand Fans:

Applique Hand Fan, Rajasthan: An Appliqué is ornamental needlework in which pieces of fabric in different shapes and patterns are sewn or stuck onto a larger piece to form a picture or pattern. It is an ancient old hand fan from Rajasthan, sporting colourful frills and handle missing in this old rare fan.

Zardozi Hand Fan, Rajasthan: Zardozi embroidery Hand Fans are made with zardozi ornate and have heavily encrusted gold thread work. Embroidered Zardozi hand fan is from Rajasthan which is antique and rare.

Painted Hand Fan, Rajasthan: Hand fan painted on cardboard are used at Krishna Temple’s and are of rare antique fan. This hand fan painted with various types of images are popular in Rajasthan.

Mirror Work Hand Fan, Gujarat: Gujarat is well known for the mirror work hand fans which are beautiful ethnic fans made of pure cotton and embellished with mirror work to produce elaborate designs. Beads and mirror hand fans are now used as wall decoration.

Phadh Hand Fan, Uttar Pradesh: Phadh hand fan is a rare and ancient fan made of silken zari, silk and satin frills. It was used to fan congregation of royalty and nobles.

Beads Hand Fan, Gujarat: Gujarat is the centre for bead craft production and it is also famous for its beads hand fans which is covered with colourful beads and has a swivel handle.

Satin Ceiling Fan, Rajasthan: Rajasthan hand-pulled ceiling fan with silk and satin frills were used in the royal households. Ropes used to pull the fan which passed through a pulley, pulled by a Pankhawala sitting outside the room.

Palm Leaf, Odisha: A large palm leaf fan in natural color is used in Odisha.

Feather Hand Fan, Delhi: Feather Hand Fans are composed of peacock feathers. Each feather is trimmed off by flat branches. It has a variety of decorative uses. These hand fans are available in many parts of North India including Delhi and Rajasthan.

Sola Pith Hand Fan, Bengal: West Bengal is famous for its Sola Pith art and craft which includes hand fans of Sola Pith. These hand fans are made by beautifully milky-white sponge-wood of the Sola tree, a part of bean family – generally known as shola or warelogreed areas. Sola pith, reed hand fans are used for Devi worship and are very delicate.

Temple Hand Fan, Rajasthan: Temple hand fans are engraved brass hand fans with a long handle, offered to the temple deity in Rajasthan and some other places.

Leather Hand Fan, Kutch, Gujarat: Leather hand fans are from Kutch, Gujarat featured with the leather is threaded into its desired shape and is further decorated with cords hand stitched on its seams.

Date Palm Hand Fan, Sindh: The most popular raw material used for crafting hand fans, mats and baskets is the date palm leaf. Soft palm leaves were used to make hand fans.

Embroidery Hand Fan, Gujarat: These traditional mirror work and embroidery fans are handmade and created by the industrious house based women workers of Gujarat. It comes in different shapes and sizes.

Palm Leaf Hand Fan, Bengal: West Bengal is famous for its art and fans made of Palm Leaf. It is a traditional Bengali hand fan also known as Tal-Patri Pankha. These light-weight hand fans are easy to carry and are a permanent article of possession of a household.

Bamboo Hand Fan, Bihar: Hand Fans made of Bamboo, available in Bihar is distinctive for its colourful appearance and sturdy quality.