I think the term came from British India. The 'punkah wallah' was a servant who operated a flapping panel, the punkah, to force air through the punkah louvres, in order to fan the sahibs.
A punkah wallah character appears occasionally on the classic series, 'It Ain't Half Hot, Mum'.
Last edited by Captain Dart; 30th Jun 2014 at 23:48.