Punkah
/ˈpʌŋkə/
Definition 1 of 1
Pro Tip 1/3Origin Insight
Understand 'punkah' originates from colonial India, evoking traditional and historical imagery. 
The grand hall was cooled by an antique punkah, reminiscent of the British Raj.
Pro Tip 2/3Manual Operation
'Punkah' often refers to fans that were manually operated, different from modern electric fans. 
Servants pulled the ropes of the punkah to keep guests cool during the feast.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Relic
A punkah is a cultural relic; it's less common now but still a part of historic or traditional Indian settings. 
We visited a palace where an ornate punkah was displayed as a piece of art.