Pouring vessel (kendi)

Kendi, 1400-1500
Northern Vietnam
Stoneware with underglaze decoration
Lent by James and Elaine Connell, R2000.68
Kundika and Kendi
The kundika, as it is called in the classical language of northern India, is a type of vessel made in a variety of materials and found in many parts of Asia. The defining characteristic of these vessels is that they have a mouth and a spout but no separate handle.
This pouring vessel, usually of metal, seems to have been commonly used in ancient India for several purposes. It was convenient and hygienic to drink from because the liquid could be poured into the mouth without the lips touching the vessel. Also, such vessels were used for pouring holy water or other liquids in religious rituals. In artistic representations, kundika are shown being held by certain deities, both Hindu and Buddhist. The form reached China, Korea, and Japan with the spread of Buddhism.
The kendi (a Malay/Indonesian term) is a variation of the kundika; usually of rather squat proportions and made of ceramic, kendi were widely used in Southeast Asia. The demand for these vessels in Indonesia was so great that they were produced in China, Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam and exported to Indonesia.