Pouring vessel (kendi) with flowers

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.

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.