Winds of Change
Short Questions
1. What does the word pankha come from?
Answer: It comes from the word ‘pankh’, which means feather of a bird.
2.What is a pankhi?
Answer: A small plumed fan used in ancient India.
3.Where is evidence of pankhi found?
Answer: In Buddhist wall paintings at Ajanta.
4.When do the Ajanta paintings date back to?
Answer: The 2nd century CE.
5.In ancient times, what were pankhas used for in temples?
Answer: To fan deities.
6.What were pankhas used for in royal courts?
Answer: To fan kings.
7.Name any three materials used to make pankhas.
Answer: Bamboo, cane, palm leaf.
8.What is the appliqué hand fan of Rajasthan made of?
Answer: Pieces of fabric in different shapes and patterns sewn with ornamental needlework.
9.What is special about the zardozi hand fan of Rajasthan?
Answer: It uses glittering ornate and encrusted gold threadwork.
10.What are Gujarat’s mirror work hand fans made of?
Answer: Elegant pure cotton-based fans embellished with mirror work.
11.What is the beads hand fan of Gujarat covered with?
Answer: Colourful beads and has a silver handle.
12.What are Kutch hand fans made of?
Answer: Hand-stitched leather decorated with thread and wool.
13.What are Bengal’s sola hand fans made from?
Answer: The beautiful milky-white spongy centre of the sola.
14.What are Uttar Pradesh’s Phadh hand fans adorned with?
Answer: Pure gold, silver zari, silk and satin frills.
15.In modern times, what is the use of pankhas restricted to?
Answer: Decorative purposes.
Long Questions
1.Why did different villages and towns develop their own varieties of traditional pankhas?
Answer: Although there was substantial commonality in their use across India, different villages and towns developed their own varieties of traditional pankhas. Each place developed pankhas with distinct materials or a variety of intricate designs that set them apart from one another.
2. How does the structure of a pankha show the culture of its region?
Answer: The structure of each fan reflects the cultural core of the region that crafts it. The materials and designs depend on the geographies, cultures and traditional rituals of that place.
3.Describe the different kinds of pankhas made in Rajasthan.
Answer: The appliqué hand fan of Rajasthan is made of pieces of fabric in different shapes and patterns sewn onto another cloth with ornamental needlework. The zardozi hand fan uses glittering ornate and encrusted gold threadwork. Temple hand fans are made by engraving brass and have a long handle. The painted hand fan is a cardboard pankha featuring various images and is usually offered to gods.
4.What kinds of pankhas are made in Gujarat?
Answer: Gujarat makes elegant pure cotton-based fans embellished with mirror work. The beads hand fan is covered with colourful beads and has a silver handle. Kutch is famous for hand-stitched leather hand fans decorated with thread and wool at its seams. Home-based women workers make embroidered hand fans with traditional mirror work and cross-stitch embroidery in different shapes and sizes.
5.What do we know about pankhas made in Bengal?
Answer: Artisans in Bengal make delicate pankhas from the beautiful milky-white spongy centre of the sola. The palm leaf hand fans are locally called Tal Patar Pankha. They are easy to carry and are perpetually kept as an article of possession in Bengali households.
6.How has the use of pankhas changed from ancient times to modern times?
Answer: In ancient times, pankhas were used in temples to fan deities and in royal courts to fan kings. Over time they became cultural goods. In modern times, their use has been restricted to decorative purposes and they have become traditional craft items in India.
7.What negative effect has technology had on the culture of pankhas?
Answer: With time and the advent of technology and innovative creations, the beautiful culture of pankhas runs the risk of slowly losing its presence among Indians.
8. How has pankha-making become a source of livelihood?
Answer: Once made for personal use, over time this handicraft has transformed into a commercial business. It now provides some form of livelihood to India’s artisans. The slight increase in popularity and demand is because of the different versions of the pankha being crafted.
9. How can we preserve the culture of pankhas?
Answer: One of the first steps to preserve the essence of the craft is by celebrating pankhas and appreciating the culture, stories and artistry that this handicraft invokes. Initiatives such as pankha-making workshops, both within and outside the handicraft exhibitions, help spread awareness about the beauty and importance of this craft in India’s culture.
10. Why is the title ‘Winds of Change’ suitable for this chapter?
Answer: The title ‘Winds of Change’ shows how pankhas have changed from being used for fanning deities and kings to becoming only decorative items. It also shows the risk of losing the culture because of technology, but at the same time it talks about new efforts like workshops and celebration to save and bring back the traditional craft.
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