punkah

1. (South Asia, Myanmar) A fan, particularly a large fan made of leaf or cloth and hung from the ceiling, (historical) formerly often operated by a servant.Examples: "A punkah is, by some, used instead of a chattah, (or umbrella); but it is very inferior as a defence against either sun, wind, or rain."; "Outside the court the sun blazed—within was the wind of great punkahs that made you shiver …"; "In the refreshment room a few would-be passengers were cooled by the punkah, worked by a string tied to the big toe of a sleepy Burmese boy."MyanmarSouth-Asia