Chowki: What It Is, Sizes, Uses and the Best Wooden Chowkis on Amazon India

A chowki (also written chauki, and called a bajot or patla in parts of India) is a low, flat, square wooden stool with four short legs. It is the oldest piece of furniture in an Indian home and still one of the most used: it holds the idol in the pooja corner, seats a guest or a child on the floor, raises a thali at a meal, and stands a plant in the balcony. Which one to buy depends on the use, and the use sets the size.

Chowki sizes by use

Use	Top	Height	Notes
Pooja chowki, one idol	8 × 8 to 12 × 12 in	3 to 6 in	Often carved; sits inside a mandir
Pooja chowki, several idols or a kalash	15 × 15 to 18 × 18 in	6 to 9 in	Flat top, no lip, easy to wipe
Bajot for sitting or eating	18 × 18 to 24 × 24 in	8 to 12 in	Rated for a person: solid wood, 100 kg
Wedding or festival (bride and groom seat)	24 × 24 in and up	10 to 12 in	Carved or painted
Plant or lamp stand	10 × 10 to 15 × 15 in	6 to 12 in	Teak or treated wood for balconies

Woods and finishes

• Sheesham: the usual solid wood, heavy and hard; a 15-inch chowki weighs 2 to 4 kg.
• Teak: for a balcony or a bathroom-side pooja where water reaches.
• Mango wood: light, carves well, the common wood for painted and carved chowkis.
• Plywood or MDF with laminate: fine for a plant stand, not for sitting on.

For a pooja chowki, a plain oiled or lacquered finish wipes clean of ghee and kumkum; a painted one chips. For sitting, the legs should be fixed with wooden pegs or bolts, not just glue.

Chowkis on Amazon India, highest scores

Nothing in the catalogue matches this today. Check the category page; the list changes as prices change.

For a full pooja unit or mandir, the sizes and placement are here.