Urli Placement by Vastu: Where to Keep It and How to Fill It
Where to keep a brass urli by vastu: north-east or the entrance, with clean water, flowers and a floating diya. Sizes by spot and keeping the water fresh.
Vastu practice keeps an urli in the north-east or north of the home, or just inside the main entrance, filled with clean water and fresh flowers. A floating diya is added in the evening.
The directions here are tradition. They differ by school and by family, and they are guidance, not a promise of any result. The upkeep advice is plain housekeeping and applies to every urli.
What an urli is
An urli is a wide, shallow, round bowl from Kerala. It began as a cooking vessel, used for payasam and for temple and feast cooking. Today most urlis sold for homes are decorative and hold water with floating flowers.
The short answer: north-east, north or by the entrance
| Spot | Common practice | Size across |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance, on a console | Just inside the door, to one side | 6 to 10 inch |
| Entrance, on the floor or a stand | Beside the door, clear of the walkway | 12 inch and up |
| Living room | North or north-east side, or the centre table | 8 to 14 inch |
| Pooja room | Near the mandir, not in front of the idols’ feet | 4 to 8 inch |
| Balcony or courtyard | Covered corner, north or east side | 12 inch and up |
Vastu tradition links water with the north-east, called ishan kon, which is why a water bowl is placed there.
Entrance, living room, pooja room, balcony
Entrance. The most common spot. Keep the urli to one side so nobody steps into it or kicks it in the dark.
Living room. A centre table urli is as much decor as custom.
Pooja room. A small urli with a few petals and one floating diya sits well beside the mandir. Keep it where pooja water and oil will not splash into it.
Balcony. Use a covered spot. Rainwater, dust and bird droppings foul an open urli quickly, and still water outdoors draws mosquitoes.
What to fill it with: water, petals, floating diyas
- Water: clean tap or filtered water, filled to about two thirds. A full bowl spills when moved.
- Flowers: marigold, rose petals, jasmine, lotus, or whole hibiscus heads. Remove leaves and stems, which rot first.
- Light: floating diyas or floating candles in the evening. For the brass lamps that stand beside it, see brass diya sets.
An urli can also be kept dry, empty or with dried flowers or potpourri. Custom prefers fresh water, but a clean dry urli is better than one with stale water.
Size by spot: table 6 to 10 inch, floor 12 inch and up
Our urli range has 51 pieces, all pure brass, from 4 to 35 inch across, starting at ₹485. There are 23 large urlis from ₹7,385, and these weigh from 2 kg to 32.5 kg.
- 4 to 6 inch: mandir shelf or a bedside table. Holds a handful of petals and one diya.
- 6 to 10 inch: entrance console or centre table.
- 12 inch and up: floor, a low stool or an urli stand.
Add the weight of the water before you choose a spot. A 16 inch urli can hold several litres, and each litre adds a kilogram. Check that the table or stand is rated for the bowl plus water, and that it sits level.
Keeping the water clean and the brass bright
- Change the water every day or two. In summer, daily.
- Lift out wilted flowers each morning. They cloud the water and stain the metal.
- Once a week, empty the urli, wash it with mild dish liquid, and dry it fully with a cloth.
- A white line at the water level is hard water scale. On raw brass, lemon and salt lifts it. On lacquered brass, use only a soft cloth and dish liquid.
The full method by finish is in our guide on how to clean brass.
What to avoid
- Stale or cloudy water. It is avoided by vastu custom and is a hygiene problem.
- Vastu practice avoids keeping a water bowl in the south-east, which tradition assigns to fire.
- Floating diyas left lit in an empty room, or under curtains.
- A floor urli with water in a home with a crawling baby or a toddler. Keep it dry, raise it out of reach, or wait a few years.
- Pets drinking from it. Skip flowers and scented oils if they do, since some are harmful to cats and dogs.
An urli is a familiar choice among housewarming gifts and brass wedding gifts. For the entrance, many families pair it with an elephant pair.
