Those attending Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort to get a special gift this year

Those attending the Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort this year will get a special gift -  handfans or pankha made by tribals. The Ministry of Defence had placed an order for 1000 handfans made by tribals to be distributed for the invitees. The idea was mooted by Trifed of Ministry of Tribal Affairs to promote the tribal product and at the same time help the invitees to beat the heat and humidity.

The selection of the fan shortlisted for this occasion has been made from a range of handfans from across the country. In view of various aspects associated with management and the security protocols associated with this event, hand fan made of Bamboo was finally selected. It is a simple elegant Bamboo based fan which has been artistically hand painted in different tribal motifs on both sides. These fans have been made by Mahali tribe of Malda, West Bengal. The entire proceed from this order has been transferred to the tribal artisans.

The branding of the fan appropriately highlights the collaboration through a sticker pasted on the stem/ handle of the Hand fan which states: 'I am a fan of Tribes India'.

There is another label tied with the cotton thread on the fan which indicates back to back as follows: ‘Guests to please carry this Pankha with them specially made for you by tribal artist’

Hand fans are an age-old tradition and are an integral part of Indian traditions and customs. In the present-day contemporary world artistic creativity of individual artisans has converted a simple utilitarian item into handcrafted masterpieces which can adorn any urban households and at the same time help provide livelihood opportunities to many. These handcrafted masterpieces include Hand Fans made from textile with embroidery and embellishments representing individual States traditions, Bamboo, Palm Leaf etc.

TRIFED introduced The Pankhas, a range of exotic hand fans into its product line which drew inspiration from the eminent Artist, Shri Jatin Das and from his collection of 10000 handmade Pankhas. It is part of TRIFED’s endeavour to keep the tribal traditions alive and in the process, promote their livelihoods by creating a market for their produce. A Pankha festival was also organised by TRIFED in Delhi recently.