Jatin Das
Jatin Das, born on 2nd December 1941, Mayurbhanj, Odisha in India, is an contemporary Indian artist with a deep interest in traditional art forms, has been collecting Pankha from the last 40 years.
Das collection was first stored at his home and then at the store of Purnima Rai(an architect and secretary, Craft Council in Delhi).
Jatin Das is also conferred with India's highest civilian award Padma Bhushan by the President of India, 2012.
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| Painted fan on board, depicting Krishna and Radha, used in the Nathdwara temple in 19th century, Rajasthan, By Mohsin Javed |
Pankha (hand fan) is a dying craft. It is used in all tropical and hot countries in the world, especially Eastern and Oriental countries including India. Since the invention of electricity, the use of this art form has become redundant ; still in Indian villages people use it. And still sophisticated women all over the world have their folding Chinese and Japanese fans in their vanity bags.
Pankha in India is originates from the world 'pank' which refers to feather.
The very first pankha exhibition was held at the National Craft Museum, New Delhi.
Jatin Das’ mammoth exhibition in New Delhi brings together 500 of the 8,500 hand fans (pankhas)that the veteran artist has procured from around the world.
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| Ceremonial Fans, By Mohsin Javed |
An exhibition of hand fans at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).
The showcase brings together 500 hand fans of the 8,500 that Das procured from across the world. Over 300 of his artist friends, including A Ramachandran, Manu Parekh, Arpita Singh and Gopi Gajwani, have contributed fan-themed paintings to the showcase.
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| Kalamkari painting on cloth, South India, By Mohsin Javed |
Fans (Pankhas) from Jatin Das collection
Royal fan Istanbul
A replica of the Turkish Emperor’s fan from Sofia Museum, Istanbul. The original handle of this jewelled fan dates back to the late 18th century/early 19th century. It is made of solid gold and the tip of the handle is decorated with diamonds. The fan is made of white goose and peacocks feathers.
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| Royal fan of Istanbul, By Mohsin Javed |
Feather fans
Elegant feather fans are associated with ceremonies for nobility and royalty as well as religious rituals. Many feather are collected from peacocks, ostriches, geese and other birds with attractive plumage. They are bounded together and attached to a handle that can be simple or decorated with elegant cloth or expensive gems. Peacock feather chamars are often used to fan holy scriptures and idols in temples.
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| Feather fans, By Mohsin Javed |
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| Peacock feather fan from China, By Mohsin Javed |
Fans from South East Asia
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| Fan from South East Asia, By Mohsin Javed |
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| Fan from South East Asia, By Mohsin Javed |
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From the south east Asian area, Indonesian fans stand out in numbers. Mainly from the islands of Java and Bali, they are made of natural fibre, leather, paper and textile. Circular fixed fans made of palm leaf and bamboo. The textile fans are usually made of a batik cloth from different Indonesian regions.
Palm leaf fans from South East Asia
The palm leaf fans from south east Asia are circular and spade-shaped with fixed handles. They demonstrate how various shapes and patterns can be achieved with different weaves.
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| Palm leaf fans from South East Asia, By Mohsin Javed |
Wood
Wood is used as the material for ritual and common pankhas (fans) that can be fixed or folded. Fixed fans are often carry a carved design. Sandalwood is an exceptional carving medium favoured among fan makers for its density and fragrance.
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| Wood fan, By Mohsin Javed |
Fans from the Far East: China
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| Fan from the Far East: China, By Mohsin Javed |
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| Fan from the far East: China, By Mohsin Javed |
Many fans in the collection from the far east originate from japan and china, where the fans have a rich history. Chinese fans have a long tradition of bamboo, feather, silk and paper crafts. The fans would often be a representation of the owner’s status and were used in different social occasion, rituals and performances.
Many fans are painted with images or poems written in calligraphy.
Folding fans usually open to a semi-circular or a circular shape by spreading the frame or allowing the slats to pivot outward from a fixed attachment point.
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| Folding fan, By Mohsin Javed |
Ivory fan Handles
Ivory refers to a material derived from the tusks of elephants, walruses, rhinoceroses and whales. It is prized for its durability, rarity and creamy white colour and is often thought to be auspicious. Fixed fans can have ivory handles, while folding fans can be solid, plain ivory or decorated with paper, cloth, wood or feathers.
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| Ivory fan handle, By Mohsin Javed |
Fans from the Far East: Japan
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| Fan from the Far East: Japan, By Mohsin Javed |
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| Fan from the Far East: Japan, By Mohsin Javed |
The folding fan was developed in japan where it became popular and quickly spread across Asia. Folding fans made of printed or painted paper on a bamboo frame was widely used. Nowadays folding fans are mass produced and distributed for festivals, social occasion, and in addition to everyday use.
Fans in Dance Performance
In addition to easing the hot summer months, fans have a significant role in the traditional dance performances of various cultures. The collection includes a folding fan used for traditional dance on the Indonesian island of Bali that is decorated with a batik pattern. The fan has a tassel frill that creates a fluttering effect during the performance and the fan matches the pattern and colours of the costume.
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| Fan used in dance performance, By Mohsin Javed |
Fans by Alekh Baba Monks, Odisha
Palm leaf is a source of inspiration and creativity for many hand fans due to the adaptability of its form and the sturdy stem that serves as a handle. Alekh Baba monks from Dhenkanal, Odisha have long been devoted to the tradition of crafting large circular fans made of palm leaves and stems. The stunning spiral-shaped fans are used by the monks to fan themselves and shield them from the sun and rain. The collection has several Alekh Baba fans, one of which is over one hundred years old.
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| Fans by Alekh Baba Monks, Odisha, By Mohsin Javed |
Palm leaf fan, Varanasi
Large palm leaf fans such as this one from Varanasi were used for religious rituals and to keep worshiping congregations cool.
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| Palm leaf fan, Varanasi, By Mohsin Javed |
Sikki grass
Golden sikki grass grows wild in marshy areas. The grass is woven or tightly coiled and sewn together with a needle to make a variety of utilitarian objects like hats, mats, bags, and pankhas. The craft is passed from mother to daughter, and the items a girl learn to make can become part of her dowry once she masters the skill. Sikki grass can be left its natural gold colour or dyed. Colourful sikki grass objects are popular in Odisha and Bihar, especially in Mithila during the Sailesh puja festival of the Moosahar tribe.
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| Sikki grass fan, By Mohsin Javed |
Embroidered fans
In many places, embroidery is a means of expression. Elaborate designs and intricate patterns showed patient skill and creative artistry. Women mastered a variety of stiches to embellish the clothing and household textiles used by their families. Chain stich, running stitch, buttonhole stich, herringbone stich, and more bring plain fabric to life under their steady fingers. Extensively decorated pankhas were an essential part of their repertoire.
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| Embroidered Fan, By Mohsin Javed |
Solapith
Solapith objects are made from the soft core of the sola plant stem, which grows partly submerged in fresh water. The plant is harvested, and the brown outer layer is peeled away so that the centre can be cut into strips. The material is porous, lightweight and white in colour. It requires practiced skill to crave and is often used to make thin decorative fans that are usually decorated with a cloth frill. Solapith can be kept its natural white hue or dyed to produce colourful designs.
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| Solapith fan, By Mohsin Javed |
Bamboo
Bamboo is used for a huge range of local crafts due to its abundance. Its quality is determined by the length and the thickness of its stalk. The bamboo is first cut down and soaked in water. It is then dried in the sun before being cut open so the pith can be removed and the outer layers can be cleaned and segmented into strips. The collection includes many bamboo fans that show different weaves.
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| Bamboo fan , By Mohsin Javed |
Beads
Brightly coloured beaded fans take great patience to execute. These small fans from kutch are made with small beads, moti, and are available in a rainbow of colours.
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| Beads fans, By Mohsin Javed |
Zardozi
Zardozi is the term for embroidery done with metallic silver or gold thread on fine cloth, often velvet. A small hooked needle called as ari is used to create the fanciful zardozi designs that are drawn on the fabric with chalk and stencil by the artist.
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| Zardozi fan, By Mohsin Javed |
Applique and mirror work
Applique originated from simpler embroidery styles as an easy way to give cloth new life. Pieces of old fabric are cut out and sewn onto the base to create attractive designs. Applique is used to decorate priest’s robe, temple chariots and other religious articles in addition to clothing worn and cloth used on a daily basis.
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| Applique and mirror work fan, By Mohsin Javed |
Fixed fans
Fixed fans usually have a tightly bound handle that can be attached to different parts of the fan depending on its shape. They are waved back and forth rapidly to create a cooling breeze.
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| Fixed fan, By Mohsin Javed |
Palm engraving
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| Palm Engraving, By Mohsin Javed |
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| Palm Engraving, By Mohsin Javed |
After being gathered and dried, palm leaves can be cut into flat strips and made into woven or folding fans. Theses palm fans are decorated with designs that are engraved onto the surface of the leaf with a pointed stylus or lekhni.
Leather fans
Leather fans are particularly common in western India. Men obtain the leather and fashion the items so that they can be embellished. These fans are often decorated with a reverse Applique technique, punched-out patterns, bright embroidery, mirrors, and colourful pigments. Supple camel leather is an especially popular material for this craft. Leather pankhas (fans) in the collection are mainly from India as well as Africa and Indonesia.
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| Leather fan, By Mohsin Javed |
Fans from Sri Lanka
Through made of different materials in a variety of shapes and sizes, many of these fans are from Sri Lanka. These fans exhibit a range of techniques, which are similar to Indian fans in may ways.
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| Fan from Sri Lanka, By Mohsin Javed |
Metal fans
Metal Silver or brass pankhas (fans) in the collection are used symbolically in religious and royal ceremonies. The regal-looking fans are often expertly crafted into an axe-shape. The fans are carefully decorated with engraving and embossing.
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| Metal Fans, By Mohsin Javed |
Revolving fans
Revolving fans require a non-fixed part of the handle or that the leaf of the fan be loosely attached to the handle, so it can rotate around in a circle. The circular movement of the fan stirs the air with its comforting motion.
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| Revolving fan, By Mohsin Javed |
Ceremonial fans
Royalty and aristocrats were fanned by faithful attendants who used fans in a variety of sizes and shapes to keep their sovereign comfortable.
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| Ceremonial Fans, By Mohsin Javed |
Celling-pulled fans were usually an important element of royal courts, where they were hung in royal darbars, reception rooms, offices and meeting halls for large congregations. They consisted of a wooden frame with a mat, thick padded cotton cloth ora khus frame with silk or cotton frill. They are hung from the celling on brass hooks. A rope was attached to the central part of its body, and pulled by a pankhawala to make the man sway, creating a welcome breeze.
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| Ceremonial Fans, By Mohsin Javed |
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In India, fans are mainly used for comfort and rituals. They are most commonly used in the summertime when they helps whisk away the flies and provide respite from the heat. In the kitchen, fans are used when cooking to help to fan the hot coals while roasting corns and kababs in traditional stoves or chulas.
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| Drawing on tussar silk cloth, drawn by the late Rabindra Nath Sahoo, Odisha, India, By Mohsin Javed |
The collection is composed of a vast number of fans from across the world, gathered over decades on collector Jatin Das’ travels and gifted by his friends, who collected them for him.
Jatin Das collection (www.pankha.org) has fans worth from Rs 2 to Rs 2 million.
The Philately Department of Post, Government of India has brought out 16 postal stamps from Jatin Das Pankha collection in 2017.
All Photo © Mohsin Javed
