Hand Fans

S. BALAKRISHNAN

Chennai has already started reeling under the scorching sun. Yes, the scary summer has set in. Better be prepared, I thought wisely and started searching for hand fans that lay uncared for in various corners.  In all, I could gather nine hand fans and what a collection, indeed.

 The big hand fan on the top is a gift by my cousin who visited Sikkim some time in 2017. He also gave me a Buddha image to recall my 5 ½ years in Sikkim (1983-88). I avoid buying Chinese items but this fan is from China. This is a bamboo artifact covered with printed silk and paper on the back. The painting celebrates the plum blossom, a significant symbol in Chinese culture representing resilience, purity and perseverance, as it blooms in the harsh winter. What does the script say? According to Google Gemini the calligraphy on the fan is a poetic inscription in Chinese running script (xingshu); this could mean "Fragrance comes from the bitter cold", indicating that a person's character is strengthened and their "fragrance" (virtue) is revealed through enduring adversity, similar to plum blossom.  The fan combines three traditional art forms: painting, calligraphy, and poetry. This combination of "Three Perfections" is considered a cultural hallmark of a scholar-gentleman. The plum blossom, on the other hand, is one of the "Four Gentlemen" in Chinese art alongside the orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum. Plums five petals are said to represent five blessings: wealth, happiness, success, peace, and longevity. The red blossoms are often painted in a "boneless" artistic style where forms are created with ink and color washes rather than rigid outlines.  Well, I can’t use such a big hand fan for fanning; it is just a decorative piece.  Maybe I can practice fighting with this fan as they show in Chinese martial art movies - Tai Chi, Wushu and other Kung Fu styles.

          Just below this big fan on the left side is a hand fan from where else but the North-Eastern States. Made out of very thin bamboo sticks, it can be folded and rolled along with the handle. It then becomes so handy to be carried even in a lady’s handbag. On the other side, at right, is a very beautiful hand fan, again from China. It is a delicate piece made of thin wood ribs / sheets with machine-cut jally / jali designs. One side has a monochrome image of a peacock and the other side has colourful foliage with fluttering butterflies. Again, we did not buy this Chinese product but is a gift by a friend. What does the script on either side says? The AI could sometimes really confuse you; the script on the peacock side could mean “Beautiful / Splendid China”. The script on the other side reads as Jin Benhua, which could be a name or signature.  Better not to break our head with the script; let us just appreciate the delicate beauty of this Chinese hand fan.

          The first on the bottom row is a small hand fan from Ajmer (Rajasthan) where the sacred Ajmer Sharif Dargah is located. The shrine of the famous Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (Gharib Nawaz) belongs to the 13^th century. This fan, bought during our Rajasthan visit in 2009, represents the Muslim culture of our country. The adjacent fan is a plastic hand fan that we were forced to buy during a circus show long, long back. It was quite sultry inside that massive tent that we had to buy this little fan for our little children. Well, the magic of circus is long lost when the wild animals were banned from the show.  This fan is a reminder as well as remainder of the circus show!

          The centre piece of the bottom row is a peacock feather hand fan, simply bought for its enchanting beauty. The feather is not plucked from the peacock; during particular season the peacock sheds the old feathers. So no violence involved, to be on the safer side.  This beauty is flanked on the left by a hand fan made of  the aromatic Vetiver, known scientifically as Chrysopogon zizanioides or Vetiveria zizanioides; it serves as a natural, eco-friendly cooling agent in summers. This is called khus or khus-khus in English. The word vetiver originates from the Tamil word ve??iv?r, which translates to "dug-up root" or "root that is cut away" (vetti=to cut; ver=root).  This vettiver fan is used by sprinkling water on it; this serves the double purpose of cooling effect and also inducing the aromatic scent from the root. Window screens made of vettiver are used in a similar fashion in summer. The root is put in drinking water earthen pots to cleanse the water and give it a flavor and cool the body during summer season.  Flanking the peacock fan on the right bottom is a traditional hand fan made of palmairah palm tree. This is the most traditional hand fan of Tamil Nadu; this simple and cheap hand fan gives a cooling effect during the hot season.

          The last hand fan is an applique work artifact from Odisha. Pipli is the small place where such applique handicraft works are created aplenty. You won’t believe that I bought this beautiful piece for just 10 rupees at Pipli. But it was more than 46 years ago when I was living in the Cuttack city of Orissa (as Odisha was called then).  This fan is unique in that we have to rotate the handle to get air.

          As I talk of hand fans, a thing of the past era or just show pieces, I remember my days in Port Blair (Andamans) during 1978-1980 when I had no fan in my rented house. It was an old house built entirely of wood with a ceiling height of just 7 ft. So there was no provision for a ceiling fan and I could not afford a table fan either in those years of my initial service. The back door faced the seashore so it was pleasant in the nights. Of course, the office had ceiling fans.  Similar was the case in Gangtok (Sikkim) during 1983 to 1988. My single-room accommodation did not have a ceiling fan. And there was actually no need for a fan even in the so-called summer months of April & May. In contrast, during my stay in Guwahati (Assam) in June-July 2024, I found the intense heat unbearable; it was similar to Chennai weather. Perhaps it was pre-monsoon heat that was so intense. It was amusing to watch ladies and girls using tiny battery-operated electronic hand fans to cool off!  It was the first time that I saw this modern version of hand fan.  They must be worried about their makeup being washed out along with the sweat. In that case would they be able to recognize themselves!

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