A ceremonial fan made from yak hair or peacock feathers, used in Hindu and Buddhist rituals to wave over sacred objects or people.
From Sanskrit 'chāmarī,' derived from 'chāmar' (yak). The word traveled through Indian languages and entered English through colonial contact with South Asian cultures.
A chauri in Hindu temples isn't just decoration—it's believed to disperse blessings and sanctity across the entire gathered congregation, so the person wielding it holds significant ritual responsibility.
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