noun
- large fans hung from the ceiling and operated by pulling a cord, used for cooling in hot climates
Usage: historical; chiefly British colonial period
Examples
- The old colonial house still had punkahs in every room.
- Servants would pull the punkah cords to create a cooling breeze.
- Before electric fans, punkahs were essential in tropical regions.
- The rhythmic swaying of the punkahs provided relief from the heat.
- Many British colonial buildings featured elaborate punkahs made of cloth and bamboo.