Land Revenue Terminology

(Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan)

Land Revenue Terminolo

INTRODUCT
ION

Revenue is a very crucial subject

attached to everybodys life in direct or
indirect way.
It is general perception that reading and
understanding
the
land
revenue
documents is very tedious and complex
task.
However in actual it is very simple, but
one has to clear some basic facts and
terminology of land revenue.
Before understanding the land revenue,
first acquaint with unit of measurement

Land Revenue Terminolo

UNIT OF MEASUREMENTS
In north India generally there are three
types of unit of measurement of land. These
are
1. kannal marla system
2. Bigha Biswa system
3. Meter system
The third one is most common now and in
new measurements and documentation it is
used, the conversion of above two with
3rdone is as under:

Land Revenue Terminolo

kannal marla System

1
1
1
1

Hectare = 10000 m2= 2.47 Acres

Acre = 4046.86 m2= 8 kannal
kannal = 500 m2= 20 Marlas
Marla = 25 m2

Bigha Biswa system

1 Hectare = 10000 m2= 2.47 Acres

1 Acre = 4046.86 m2= 1.75 ~1.76 Bigha
(Pukhta/Bada bigha)
1 Acre = 4046.86 m2= 5.26 Bigha (Kachha/Chota
bigha)
1 Bigha = 2305 m2(pakka) or 768.33 m2(kaccha)
* But in Haryana 1 bigha = 843.30 m2
1 Biswa = 115.25 m2 or 137.80 sq. yrd.
1 biswansi = 5.76 m2 or 6.89 sq. yrd.
1 kachwansi = 0.288 m2
Land Revenue Terminolo
1 decimal = 40.48 m2

Revenue Terminology

In revenue documents there are mainly three

types of records i.e. Jamabandi, Girdwari,
Map (sajra or latha).
In some area fard haquit is also issued. This
is the consolidated document of total land
holding of individual and present market rate
is mentioned.
These documents reflect the total land
ownership, its type, source of irrigation, the
cultivation pattern, crop growing of land etc,
girdwari is made in every crop season i.e.
after 6 months however jamabandi is made
after 4-5 years.
Land Revenue Terminolo
Map represents the actual
position of land

Jamabandi
Ajamabandiis a term used inmeaning "rights of records"
andreferstolandrecords.
These records are documents which are maintained for
eachvillagewithinitsTehsil.
It contains the name of the owners, area of cultivation/
land,sharesofownersandotherRights.
It is revised after a certain period of time for e.g. in
Haryana,Rajasthanitisrevisedafter5years.
After it is prepared byPatwari. it is attested by Revenue
Officer of that division. All changes in title/interests of the
revenue estate coming into the notice of Revenue
AuthoritiesaredulyreflectedintheJamabandiaccordingto
setprocedures.

Land Revenue Terminolo

Jamabandi format
Khevat
Khataun
Name of
i No.
Tenant
Mutati
with
on
fathers
relate
Rent
name
Sourc
d note
Khasra
Social
paid
caste and
Are
e of
along Remar
Numbe
Classific
by
Residenti
a
Irrigat
with
ks
r
ation
Cultiv
New Old
al
ion
date
ator
address
and
with
Numb
nature of
er
tenure
1

10

Land Revenue Terminolo

Shajra Map
Ashajraorshajra
kishtwaris a detailed
village map that is used
for
legal
(land
ownership)
and
administrative purposes
inIndia. Ashajramaps
out the village lands
into land parcels and
gives each parcel a
unique
number.
Thepatwari(or village
accountant) maintains a
record for each one of
these
parcels
in

Land Revenue Terminolo

Khasra

Akhasra is a legalagriculturaldocument used

inIndiathat specifies land and crop details.
It
is
often
used
in
conjunction
with
ashajra(orshajra kishtwar), which is a reference
map of thevillagethat administers the land
described by thekhasra.
Khasrastraditionally detail "all the fields and their
areas, measurement, who owns and what
cultivators he employs, what crops, what sort of
soil, what trees are on the land.
Akhatauni is an abstract based on thekhasrasof
a village that lists out all the holdings of an
individual or family in that village.
In other words, allkhasrasthat
belong
to a Terminolo
given
Land
Revenue
individual will be listed in thekhatauniof that

Revenue Terminology

Cont...

Khewat number :The number of owner of the land

Khatoni Number: The number of possetioner/
cultivator of land
Kita number: The Number mentioning the khasra
number in jamabandi
Mutation/rapat: Any entry regarding sale purchase or
transfer of land
Vassiat: transfer of land through will
Hiba: transfer of land through gift
Billa: Devoid of/without
Hadbast number: Number of revenue village
boundary
Mushqueel/ Murrabha/ rectangle: comprise of 25
Acres/bighas
Lal Dora: The boundary of inhabited
village,Terminolo
within
Land Revenue
which ownership of land is generally through possession

Type of land
1.Chahi :Irrigated through wells/tubewells
2.Nahri :Irrigated through Canals
3.Barani :Rainfed
4.Gair mumkin :Non cultivable
5.Abadi :Inhabited
6.Banjar: Not cultivated from four cropping
seasons

Type of Possession

1.Khud Kast :Self cultivated

2.Gair Marusi :Unauthorised possessioner
(Kache mujahire)
3.Gair Dakhildar :Unauthorised permanent
possessioner (pakkee mujahire)
4.Rehan :mortgage with possession
Land Revenue Terminolo
5.Aadrehan :mortgage without possession

Haryana
c

Land Revenue Terminolo

The following are the basic unit of

'measurements of land used in Haryana:
one 'karam' is 5.5ft
one 'marla' is 9 square karams (272.25 sq ft)(30.25
gaj)
one 'kannal' is 20 marlas (5,445 sq ft)
one 'killa' is of 8 kannals (43,560 sq ft = 1 acre)
one 'marabba' is 25 killas (1,089,000 sq ft = 25
acres)

A killa or Acre is measuredrectangularly, reckoned

as an area 36 karams (198ft) x 40 karams (220ft)
(43,560 square ft).
Homes (Kothis) are measured in marlas and
kannals. Most are two to fourLand
kannals
but theTerminolo
big
Revenue
ones can be anything from four to six kannals.

A couple of older measures:

one biswa = 15 Sq karams; 12 biswas = 1
kannal (605 yrd)
onebigha= 20 biswas - 1008 square yards 842.68 sq m
In all areas consolidated on the basis of the
standard measure of 66 inches i.e. Karam or
Gatha:

1. 1 Sq. Karam or Sarsahi 3.3611111 Sq.yds.

2. 9 Sarsahies or 1 Marla 30.249999 Sq.yds say
30.25 Sq.yds.
3. 20 Marlas or 1 Kannal 604.99996 Sq.yds say
Land Revenue Terminolo
605 Sq.yds.

efore Bandobust(Settlement)
1 Karam = 57.157 (Haryana)
1 Biswansi = 1 Karam x 1 Karam (Haryana)
20 Biswansi = 1 Biswa (Haryana)
1 Bigha = 20 Biswa (Haryana)
4 Bigha-16 Biswa = 1 Acre (Haryana)
2.47 acre = 1 hectare(CG)

After Bandobust(Settlement)
1 Karam = 66 (Haryana)
1 Sarsaai = 1 Karam x 1 Karam (Haryana)
9 Sarsaai = 1 Marla (Haryana)
20 Marla = 1 Kannal (Haryana)
8 Kannal = 1 Acre (Ghuman) (Haryana)
1 Acre = 36 Karam x 40 Karam (North to South,
East to West) (Haryana) 2.47 Acre = 1 Hectare (CG)

Land Revenue Terminolo

Uttar Pradesh

Land Revenue Terminolo

INTRODUCT
ION

Thebighais a unit of measurement of area of

a land, commonly used in a few states ofIndia
including Uttar Pradesh. The precise size of
a bighaappears to vary considerably, that
range from 1,500 to 6,771 square meters, but
in several smaller pockets, it is as high as
12,400 square meters.
Bigha is a traditional unit of land, with land
purchases still being undertaken in this unit.
However, it varies in size from one part to
another. It is usually less than an acre (0.15
hectare), however could extend up to 3 acres.
Various states and often parts within states
Land to
Revenue
Terminolo
have different sizes attributed
1 Bigha.

The following are the basic unit of

'measurements of land used in Uttar
In developed part of Uttar Pradesh that is west,
Pradesh:
there are two ranges of 1 Bigha.
One is equal to 5 biswa (one biswa is 125 m2)
In other it is equal to 6.75 biswa = 843.75 m2
(Kaccha bigha)
In rest UP 1 Bigha is divided into 20 Biswas.
Hence one Bigha is 2500 m2 But actually it is
2529.26 m2 (Pakka bigha)

Some part of west Uttar Pradesh the

measurements are slightly different:
1 Bigha = 20 Biswa = 60 Decimal = 2428.80 m2
1 Bigha = 2305 m2(Pakka) or 768.33 m2(Kaccha)
Land Revenue Terminolo

Rajasthan

Land Revenue Terminolo

The following are the basic unit of

'measurements of land used in
Rajasthan:
Bigha is used in practice in Rajasthan.
One bigah is equal to 1618.70 m2 .

Shahjahani Jarib = 165 feet

1 Bigha = 1 Jarib x 1 Jarib = 165 x 165 =
27225 Sq. Ft.
1 Bigha(Shahjahani Jarib) = 0.253 Hectare
Gantari Jarib = 132 feet
1 Bigha = 1 Jarib x 1 Jarib = 132 x 132 =
17424 Sq. Ft.
1 Bigha(Gantari Jarib) = 0.16 Hectare
1 Bigha = 20 Biswansi Land Revenue Terminolo

Punjab

Land Revenue Terminolo

The following are the basic unit of

'measurements of land used in Punjab:
There are two ways of area measures as per
the department of revenue
Ghumao Measure
1 Sarsahi = 2.81Sq. Mt. (5.5 Sq. Karam)
1 Marla = 9 Sarsahi
1 kannal = 20 Marla
1 Ghumao = 8 kannal
* So 1 Ghumao = 4046.86 Sq.Mt. = 1 acre

Land Revenue Terminolo

 Bigha Measure
1 Biswansi = 6.32 Sq. Mt. (99 Sq. Gatha)
1Biswa = 20 Biswansis
1Bigha = 20 Biswa
* So 1 Bigha = 2529.29 Sq. Mt.

Land Revenue Terminolo

Madhya Pradesh

Land Revenue Terminolo

The following are the basic unit of

'measurements of land used in Madhya
Pradesh:
Katha = 0.0137741 acre = 55.74 Sq. Mt. = 600 Sq.
Bigha = 0.275473 Acre = 1114.80 Sq. Mt.
Acre = 3.63 Bigha
Acre = 72.6 Katha

Land Revenue Terminolo

Conversion Factors

Land Revenue Terminolo

Unit Area
Sq. Karam
Marla
kanaal
killa
marabba
Sarsahi
Biswansi
Biswa
Bigha

Conversion Factors (Haryana)

Acre
Sq. Mt. Sq. Yrd. Sq. Ft.
0.00069
2.81
3.36
30.25
4
0.00625 25.29
30.25 272.25
0.125 505.85
605
5445
1.00000
4046.82 4840
43560
1
25.0000 101170.
108900
121000
2
6
0
0.00069
2.81
3.36
30.25
4
0.00069
2.81
3.36
30.25
4
0.01041
42.15
50.42 453.75
7
Land Revenue Terminolo
0.20833
843.09 1008.33 9075

Conversion Factors (Uttar Pradesh)

Unit Area

Acre

Sq. Mt.

Sq. Yrd.

Sq. Ft.

0.625

2529.26

3025

27225

Kaccha
Bigha

0.208333

843.09

1008.33

9075

Decimal

0.010003

40.49

48.42

435.75

Pakka Bigha

Conversion Factors (Rajasthan)

Unit Area

Acre

Sq. Mt.

Sq. Yrd.

Sq. Ft.

Bigha (S.J.)

0.625

2529.26

3025

27225

Bigha (G.J.)

0.4

1618.73

1936

17424

Land Revenue Terminolo

Conversion Factors (Punjab)

Unit Area

Acre

Sq. Mt.

Sq. Yrd.

Sq. Ft.

Sq. Gatha

0.001561

6.32

7.56

68

Biswa

0.03125

126.46

151.25

1361.25

Bigha

0.625

2529.26

3025

27225

4046.82

4840

43560

Ghumao

Conversion Factors (Madhya Pradesh)

Unit Area

Acre

Sq. Mt.

Sq. Yrd.

Sq. Ft.

Katha

0.013774

55.74

66.67

600

Bigha

0.275482 1114.83

1333.33

12000

Land Revenue Terminolo

THANK YOU .

Land Revenue Terminolo