Paradigmresume: add intro for clarity and cleaned formatting as per guidelines

2025-09-01T17:34:47Z

add intro for clarity and cleaned formatting as per guidelines

81.156.128.15: added Wikipedia link to the wheat berry and the Ratti

2021-06-15T10:31:27Z

added Wikipedia link to the wheat berry and the Ratti

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Before the [[Metrication in India|introduction of the Metric system]], one may divide the history of Indian systems of measurement into three main periods: the pre-Akbar's period, the period of the Akbar system, and the British colonial period.

During pre-Akbar period, weights and measure system varied from region to region, commodity to commodity, and rural to urban areas. The weights were based on the weight of various seeds (specially the [[wheat berry]] and [[Ratti]]) and lengths were based on the length of arms and width of fingers. [[Akbar]] realized a need for a uniform system. He elected the barley corn. Unfortunately, this did not replace the existing system. Instead, it just added another system.

[[Company rule in India|British entered India as traders]]. They accepted [[Barley|barley corn]] as a unit 'grain' for weighing gold. Eventually, British introduced their own system for weighing gold (Troy ounce). In 1956, Government of India passed the Standards of Weights Act, that came into effect in 1958.The metric weight mandatory by October 1960, and the metric measures mandatory by April 1962.

== Current conversion standard ==

In 1956, for metric conversion, the Government of India defined the Standards of Weights and Measures Act (No. 89 of 1956, amended 1960, 1964) as follows:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Indian System !! British / troy System !! Metric System
|-
| 1 Tolä || ≈ 0.375 t oz || 11.664 g
|-
| 1 [[Seer (unit)|Sèèr]] (80 Tolä)<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.sizes.com/units/seer.htm|title=What is a seer?|website=www.sizes.com|access-date=2019-06-20}}</ref>|| 2.5 t lb ≈ 2.057 lb ≈ 2 lb 1 oz || 0.93310 kg<ref name=":0" />
|-
| 1 [[Maund]] (40 [[Seer (unit)|Sèèr]]) || 100 troy lb || 37.324 kg
|}

The current definitions as per the UN are:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Indian System !! Metric System
|-
| 1 Tolä || 11.664 g
|-
| 1 [[Seer (unit)|Sèèr]] (80 Tolä)<ref name=":0" />|| 933.10 g<ref name=":0" />
|-
| 1 [[Maund]] (40 [[Seer (unit)|Sèèr]]) || 37.324 kg
|}

==Pre-Akbar system==

These are the weights and measures popular in North India before the adoption of the metric system. There were different systems in Bengal, the Presidency of Madras, and Bombay. The following nomenclature was prevalent in North India till the metric system came in:-

4 ''Chawal'' (grain of rice) = 1 Dhan (weight of one wheat berry)

4 Dhan = 1 Ratti (''Ratti is the seed of the '[[Abrus precatorius]]'. It is a red seed with a black spot at one end. Abul Fazl refers to it as 'Surkh' in Ain-i-Akbari.'').

8 Ratti = 1 Masha

12 Masha (96 Ratti) = 1 bhari

24 Ratti (96 Dhan) = 1 Tak

''Conversion''

1 Bhari = 11.66375 gram

3.75 [[Troy ounce]] = 10 bhari

Weight of 64 Dhan (Wheat berries) = Weight of 45 Jau (Barley corns)

Weight of 1 Barley corn = 64.79891 milligrams

'''''Commodity Weight System'''''

1 bhari = 4 Siki

1 Kancha = 5 Siki

1 Chhataank = 4 Kancha

1 Chhataank = 5 bhari

1 Adh-pav = 2 Chhatank = 1/8 Seer

1 Pav = 2 Adh-pav = ¼ Seer (Pav means ¼)

1 Adher = 2 Pav = ½ Seer

In Hindi ½ Seer = Adha (½) Seer, or Adher

1 Ser = 2 Adher = 4 Pav = 16 Chattank = 80 Tola = 933.1 grams

1 Savaser = 1 Ser + 1 Pav (1¼ Seer)

1 Savaser weighed 100 Imperial rupees

In Hindi 1¼ Seer = Sava (1¼) Seer, or Savaser

1 Dhaser = 2 Savaser = 2½ Seer

In Hindi 2½ Seer = Dhai (2½) Seer, or Dhaser

1 Paseri = 2 Adisari = 5 Seer

In Hindi 5 Seer = Panch (5) Seer, or Paseri for short

1 Daseri = 2 Pasri = 10 Seer

In Hindi 10 Seer = Das (10) Seer, or Daseri for short

1 Maund (''maan'' or ''man[मण]'') = 4 Daseri = 8 Pasri = 40 Seer

'''''Rice and Grains Volume Measures'''''

Grains were not weighed. Special hour-glass shaped measure were used to determine the volume.

Smallest unit = 1 Nilve

2 Nilve = 1 Kolve

2 Kolve = 1 Chipte (about quarter litre)

2 Chipte = 1 Mapte (about half litre)

2 Mapte = 1 Ser (about one litre)

'''''Liquid Volume Measures'''''

These were hour glass shaped measure used for Milk, Ghee, Oils. The bottom was round like an inverted dome, the top was like flared rim. This shape helped in pouring the liquids.

4 Chhataank = 1 Pav

4 Pav = 1 Seer

40 Seer = 1 Maund

'''''Length Measure'''''

Measure of length is Gaz. To interpret Gaz, depends on what one is measuring and where they are. Bengal: 36", Bombay: 27", Madras: 33", Government Average: 33". The hand measurements were used.

Anguli (width of 3 fingers) = 1 Girah

8 Girah = 1 Hath (elbow to the end of the middle finger, approximately 18" )

5 5/6 Hath = One Kathi

20 Kathi = One Pand

1 Pand= 1 Beesa

20 Pand = One Begah

2 Hath = 1 Gaz

3 Gaz = Two Karam

3 Karams = 1 Kan

3 Square Kans = 1 Marla

20 Marlas = 1 Kanal

8 Kanals = 1 Ghamaon

9 Kanals 12 Marlas = 1 Acre{{citation needed|reason=At the time, acre was used in Europe only|date=September 2019}}

4 Kanals = 1 Begah

==Akbar weights and measures==

Akbar standardised weights and measurements using a [[barley]] corn (''Jau''). For weights, he used the weight of a ''Jau'', while the width of a ''Jau'' set the standard for length.

1. Length: Ilahi Gaz ({{convert|33|to|34|in|disp=or}}); 1 Gaz = 16 Grehs; 1 Greh = 2 pais

At the time of [[Shah Jahan]] there existed three different Gaz:<ref>Levon Khachikian: "The Ledger of the Merchant Hovhannes Joughayetsi". ''Journal of the Asiatic Society'', Vol 8, No. 3, 1966, p. 182</ref>

a) ''Shahi gaz'' = 101.6 cm 
b) ''Shahijahani'' or ''Lashkari'' = 95.85 cm 
c) Aleppo ''gaz'' = 67.73 cm

2. Commodity weight: Ser = 637.74 grams

3. Commodity Spices: The ''Dam'' was a copper coin used as a weight as well as currency. 1 Dam = 20 grams

4. Gold and Expensive Spices: Misqal = 6.22 grams

==Weights before 1833==

8 rattīs = 1 māshā (= 0.9071856 gram)

12 māshās = 1 tolā (= 10.886227 gram)

80 tolas = 1 ser (= 870.89816 gram)

40 sers = 1 maund (= 34.835926 kilogram)

1 rattī = 1.75 grains (= 0.11339825 gram) (1 grain = 0.064799 gram)

From 1833 the rupee and tolā weight was fixed at 180 grains, i.e. 11.66382 grams. Hence the weight of 1 maund increased to 37.324224 kilogram.<ref>Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive by Col. Henry Yule and A.C. Burnell, Originally published 1903, Reprint, 1968</ref>
Traditionally one maund represented the weight unit for goods which could be carried over some distance by porters or pack animals.

==British system==
{{main|Imperial units}}
''''' Weight gold '''''

British used weight of wheat berries as a standard to make currency coins. British chose Barley corn to weigh gold same as Akbar. 
One Troy ounce = 480 Barley corn 
1 Troy Ounce = 120 carat 
1 Troy pound = 12 Troy ounce

In 1878, the Troy Pound was abolished.

''Conversions''

Weight of 1 Barley corn = 64.79891 milligrams 
Weight of 1 Wheat berry = 45.561732 milligramS 
One Troy Ounce = 31.1034768 gramS 
64 Wheat berries = 45 Barley corns 
3.75 Troy ounce = 10 Tolas 

'''''Commodity weight'''''

20 Cwt = 1 Ton avoirdupois = 40 Bushels = 160 Stones 
4 Stones = 1 Bushel = 56 Pounds 
1 hundredweight (cwt) = 112 Pounds = 2 Bushels = 8 Stones 
14 Pounds avoirdupois = 1 Stone avoirdupois 
16 Ounces avoirdupois = 1 Pound avoirdupois

''Conversion''

1 Ounce avoirdupois = 28.349523 grams approx. 
1 Pound avoirdupois = 453.59237 grams 
1 Ton avoirdupois = 2,240 pounds avoirdupois 
Weight of 1 Barley corn = 64.79891 milligrams 
One Troy Ounce = 31.1034768 grams 
3.75 Troy ounce = 10 Tola

'''''Length'''''

In 1950s, Miles and [[Furlong]]s were common markers on the roads in India.

Minimum length = 1 Inch 
No-one can say how it evolved. ''Yinch'' was the thickness of the thumb, not quite one inch. 
12 Inches = 1 Foot 
3 Feet = 1 Yard 
660 Feet = 1 Furlong 
5,280 Feet = 1 Mile 
1,760 Yards = 1 Mile 
1 Mile = 8 Furlongs 
22 Yards = 1 Chain 
1 Acre = (1 Chain) × (1 Furlong)

1 Canal mile = 5,000 Imperial feet on canals shown by stone marker each 5,000 feet and also on British maps at 1:63360 scale

and later Pakistan maps at 1:50000 scale. Personally seen in the Punjab but assumed to be used in the whole of India.

''Conversion''

1 Inch = Span of 6 Barley corns side by side by thickness, although barleycorns are not a reliable standard of measurement. 
1 Inch = 2.54 centimetres 
1 Foot = 30.48 cm 
1 Yard = 0.914 metre 
1 Mile = 1.61 Kilometres

==References==
1 coss= 2000 yards<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QtMzAQAAMAAJ|title=Wood's Royal Southern Kalendar, Tasmanian Register and General Australasian & East Indian Official Directory ...|last=Wood|first=James|date=1849-01-01|publisher=H. Dowling, Jun.|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x_8nAAAAYAAJ|title=East-India Register and Directory|date=1819-01-01|publisher=W.H. Allen|language=en}}</ref>
;Notes
{{Reflist}}
;Sources
* [[James Prinsep|Prinsep, James]] (editor [[Edward Thomas (antiquarian)|Edward Thomas]]): ''Essays on Indian Antqities, Historic, Numismatic, and Palaeographic, of the late James Prinsep, F.R.S., to which are added his Useful Tables illustrative of Indian History, Chronology, Modern Coinages, Weights, Measures etc.'' Two Volumes, Reprint, Indological Book House, Delhi and Varanasi, 1971. Originally published in London, 1858.

==External links ==
{{commons category|Measurement in India}}
* http://www.indiacurry.com/Miscel/indiahistoricweightsmeasure.htm

{{Systems of measurement}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Indian Weights And Measures}}
[[Category:Economy of India]]
[[Category:Units of measurement]]

Indian units of measurement - Revision history

Paradigmresume: add intro for clarity and cleaned formatting as per guidelines

81.156.128.15: added Wikipedia link to the wheat berry and the Ratti