New Delhi: Hand fans have become best friends of protesters at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar as heat and humidity add to their as hurdles.
Hundreds of volunteers and demonstrators were seen fanning one another with hand fans made of plastic and bamboo to cope with the conditions at the Cockroach Janta Party-led NEET paper leak protests.
“By the time people reach this gate, they are drained already, and the lines are also so long,” said Priya Sharma, a 34-year-old protester. “We understand it is exhausting to stand and wait in the heat, so we try to provide relief in whatever way we can.”
On the roads leading to the main protest site within Jantar Mantar, protesters formed lines stretching hundreds of metres at the security checkpoint. Volunteers stationed near the checkpoint guided people toward the entrance, directing them to form orderly queues. These volunteers are often equipped with hand-held fans, actively fanning the tired protesters waiting in the long, winding lines.
Beating the heat
Inside the protest area, volunteers stand around groups of demonstrators sitting on the ground, waving large bamboo fans in an almost coordinated rhythm. This creates a constant movement of air despite the humidity. They frequently switch positions to avoid fatigue and ensure the effort remains sustainable over long hours. The fanning is methodical — groups of four to five volunteers often work together, maintaining steady strokes that provide relief to dozens of seated protesters at a time.
Outside the main barricaded section, plastic fans are more common. Volunteers move through the crowd handing out smaller plastic fans whenever supplies allow. Many protesters have also brought their own portable foldable hand fans for personal use. These compact fans, which easily fit in pockets or bags, have become a common sight, with some featuring bright rainbow designs or custom prints. Protesters frequently take turns fanning one another without prompting, creating an informal network of mutual support across the site.
Volunteers have also been actively distributing water bottles to help protesters stay hydrated. Teams carrying crates of bottled water move regularly through the queues and sitting areas, offering cold water to anyone showing signs of fatigue or dehydration. Oral Rehydrating Solution (ORS) is also available at the protest site.
Online orders
This led to a surge in demand for cooling equipment recently. Both electric handheld fans and traditional bamboo hand fans are currently sold out on delivery platforms Instamart and Blinkit, with restocks listed as “coming soon.” Volunteers said that a significant portion of the fan supply comes directly from community support.
Anonymous orders continue to arrive in bulk, containing boxes of plastic and bamboo fans. While electric fans are also present at the site, their need for charging makes them less practical in the field.
“We don’t always know who sends them,” said Kartik Sharma, a student volunteer. “The delivery notes just say ‘For the protest’ or nothing at all.”
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Community
The fanning has slowly grown to become a symbol of community. People fan each other without being asked. When fans are not available, they resort to using newspapers and posters. While exiting the protest site, protesters often return the fans they had borrowed, to be used by the protesters coming in.
One 21-year-old Students’ Federation of India (SFI) member, who wished to remain anonymous, said the mutual fanning underscores the spirit of the protest.
“We’re all struggling in the sun, but when the person next to you fans you, it feels powerful. It’s someone saying they’ve got your back. That small act means a lot during the protest.”
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)