With winter behind us and spring soon to pass, the city is becoming a boiling pot and temperatures expected to rise even more in the coming months, young Bengalureans are resorting to portable miniature fans to keep cool in the sweltering heat. Long popular in Asian countries with hot summers and among celebrities, particularly popular K-Pop stars who are seen using them in television shows and behind the scenes content, the trend has caught on in Bengaluru in the last few years. Anup Tiwari, the purchase head of MUMUSO, a South Korean lifestyle brand with outlets in the city, says, “We have noticed an increase in their sales percentage every year. Three years ago, we used to sell approximately 1,000 to 2,000 pieces approximately. But for the past two years, we’ve been selling around 4,000 to 5,000 pieces.”
Available for as low as ₹150 to as high as ₹1,000, while they are being bought by people of all ages, the fans seem to be especially popular on university campuses which are often not air conditioned. “At my university, standing in long queues made me feel extremely hot and I am a person who needs ventilation all the time; so, I thought having a miniature fan would be helpful,” says Shreya Adarsh, a postgraduate student. “It has proven to be very useful, especially with temperatures being unpredictable here. I have also got positive comments from my friends in class and I even got one for my friend because she mentioned it was helpful. It is popular among emerging adults because we like using things which do not take up too much space but are also efficient,” she adds.
Apart from the basic miniature fan that is handheld, battery powered or rechargeable with one speed setting, there are others which fit in the palm of your hand, spray a mist of water, function as power banks, and even sit around the neck like headphones. “I learnt about them when my father went to Thailand and informed me about fans that I could put around my neck. While the handheld one is almost like a phone and I carry it around everywhere, the neck fan feels like a headphone so people don’t stare and I don’t feel awkward,” says Adaline Benila, an undergraduate student.
Apart from keeping cool outdoors, Rhea Tata Arvind, an events executive in her early 20s, has also found other uses for her mini fan . “I end up using it almost every day for my skincare or makeup when I need the product to dry quickly on my face, not just for the heat,” she says, adding, “It’s also very travel friendly; it’s tiny, portable, when I charge mine once, it lasts for a month.”
(With contributions from Aakansha Munshi)