Units of time in ancient Tamil history

1 kuzhi(kuRRuzhi)= 6.66 millisecond-the time taken by the Pleiades stars(aRumin) to glitter once.

12(base 8 ) or 10 kuzhigaL= 1 miy= 66.6666 millisecond-the time taken by the young human eyes to flap
once.

2 kaNNimaigaL= 1 kainodi= 0.125 second

2 kainodi= 1 maatthirai= 0.25 second

6(base 8 ) or 6 miygaL= 1 siRRuzhi(nodi)= 0.40 second-the time taken for a bubble (created by blowing
air through a bamboo tube into a vessel 1 saaN high, full of water) to travel a distance of one saaN .

2 maatthiraigaL= 1 kuru= 0.50 second

2(base 8 ) or 2 nodigaL= 1 vinaadi= 0.80 second-the time for the adult human heart to beat once

21⁄2 nodigaL= 2 kuru= 1 uyir= 1 second

5 nodigaL= 2 uyir= 1 saNigam= 1/2 aNu= 2 seconds

12(base 8 ) or 10 nodigaL= 1 aNu= 4 seconds

6(base 8 ) or 6 aNukkaL= 12 saNigam= 1 thuLi= 1 naazhigai-vinaadi= 24 seconds

12(base 8 ) or 10 thuLigaL= 1 kaNam= 4 minutes

6(base 8 ) or 6 kaNangaL= 1 naazhigai= 24 minutes

12(base 8 ) or 10 naazhigaigaL= 4 saamam= 1 siRupozhuthu= 240 minutes= 4 hours

6(base 8 ) or 6 siRu-pozhuthugaL= 1 naaL(1 day)= 24 hours

7 naaTkaL= 1 kizhamai(1 week)

15 naaTkaL= 1 azhuvam(1 fortnight )

29.5 naaTkaL= 1 thingaL(1 lunar month)

2 thingaL= 1 perum-pozhuthu(1 season)

6 perum-pozhuthugaL= 1 AaNdu(1 year)

64 aaNdugaL= 1 vattam(1 cycle)

4096(=8^4) AaNdugaL= 1 Oozhi(1 epoch)

Area Measurement
1 Marakkal vaedaipadu (seeds required for planting rice) = 8 cents

12.5 Marakkal vaedaipadu = 100 cents (one acre)

Area calculation and Measurement Chart .

1 hectare = 2 acre 47 cent

1 hectare = 10,000 sq.m.

1 acre = 0.405 hectare

1 acre = 4046.82 sq.m.

1 acre = 43,560 sq.ft.

1 acre = 100 cent = 4840 sq.gejam

1 cent = 435.6 sq.ft.

1 cent = 40.5 sq.m

1 ground = 222.96 sq.m. = 5.5 cent

1 ground = 2400 sq.ft.

1 kuli = 44 cent

1 kaani = 132 cent = 3 kuli

1 kaani = 1.32 acre

1 kaani = 57,499 sq.ft.

1 acre = 2.25 kuli

1 dismil = 1.5 cent

1 furlong = 660 feet = 220 kejam

1 kilometre = 5 furlong

1 link / chain = 0.66 foot = 7.92 inch

1 kejam = 3 feet

1 mile = 8 furlong
1 ares = 1076 sq.ft. = 2.47 cent

1 chain = 22 kejam

1 furlong = 10 chain

1 kejam = 0.9144 metre

1 township = 36 sq.mile

1 sq.mile = 640 acre

Units of ancient trade

Balance weights

Gold weights

4 nel edai= 1 kunRimaNi

2 kunRimaNi= 1 manjaadi

1 manjaadi= 1 paNavedai

5 paNavedai= 1 kazhanju

8 paNavedai= 1 varaaganedai

20 paNavedai= 4 kazhanju = 1 kaqhsu

80 paNavedai= 16 kazhanju= 4 kaqhsu= 1 palam.

1.5 Kazhanji = 8 gram or one pown

Goods weights

32 kunRimaNi= 1 varaaganedai

10 varaaganedai= 1 palam

40 palam= 1 veesai

1000 palam =1 kaa

6 veesai= 1 thulaam

8 veesai= 1 maNangu

20 maNangu= 1 paaram.
Grain volume

1 kuNam= smallest unit of volume

9 kuNam= 1 mummi

11 mummi= 1 aNu

7 aNu=1 immi

7 immi= 1 uminel

1 sittigai= 7 uminel

360 nel= 1 sevidu

5 sevidu= 1 aazhaakku

2 aazhaakku= 1 uzhakku

2 uzhakku= 1 uri

2 uri= 1 padi

8 padi= 1 marakkaal(kuRuNi)

2 marakkaal(kuRuNi)= 1 padhakku

2 padhakku= 1 thooNi

5 marakkaal= 1 paRai

80 paRai= 1 karisai

96 padi= 1 kalam

120 padi= 1 pothi(mootai)

21 marakkal = 1 Kottai

1 padi, = 1800 avarai pods = 12,800 miLagu seeds = 14,400 nel grains = 14,800 payaRu grains = 38,000
arisi grains = 115,200 sesame seeds

Fluid volume

5 sevidu= 1 aazhaakku

2 mahani = 1 aazhakku (arai kal padi)

2 aazhaakku= 1 uzhakku (Kal padi)

2 uzhakku= 1 uri (Arai padi)

2 uri= 1 padi

8 padi= 1 marakkaal

2 marakkaal(kuRuNi)= 1 padhakku

2 padhakku= 1 thooNi

21 Marakkal = 1 Kottai

Length

10 koaN= 1 nuNNaNu

10 nuNNaNU= 1 aNu(atom)

8 aNu= 1 kathirtthugaL

8 kathirtthugaL= 1 thusumbu

8 thusumbu= 1 mayirnuni

8 mayirnuni= 1 nuNmaNal

8 nuNmaNal= 1 siRu-kadugu

8 siRu-kadugu= 1 eL

8 eL= 1 nel

8 nel= 1 viral= 8^8 aNu(atom)= 1.9444 centimetre

12 viral= 1 saaN= 100 immi= 23.3333 centimetre

2 saaN= 1 muzham= 46.6666 centimetre

2 muzham= 1 kajam

4 muzham= 1 paagam

625 paagam= 1 kaadham= 5000 saaN= 1166.66 metres= 1.167 kilometre

Likeness (Saartthal)
Likeness has attributes of tone, sound, colour and shape for comparison of a given substance with a
known standard.

Whole numbers

1= onRu

10= patthu

100= nooRu

1000= aayiram

10,000= pathaayiram

100,000= nooRaayiram

1000,000= meiyiram

10^9= thoLLunn

10^12= eegiyam

10^15= neLai

10^18= iLanji

10^20= veLLam

10^21= aambal

Sanskrit texts elaborate the following version:

* 1 = ONDRU -one

* 10 = PATHU -ten

* 100 = NOORU-hundred

* 1,000 = AAYIRAM-thousand

* 10,000 = PATHAAYIRAM -ten thousand

* 100,000 = LATCHAM-hundred thousand

* 1,000,000 = PATHU LATCHAM - one million

* 10,000,000 = KODI-ten million

* 100,000,000 = ARPUTHAM-hundred million

* 1,000,000,000 = NIGARPUTHAM- one billion

* 10,000,000,000 = KUMBAM-ten billion

* 100,000,000,000 = KANAM-hundred billion

* 1,000,000,000,000 = KARPAM-one trillion

* 10,000,000,000,000 = NIKARPAM -ten trillion

* 100,000,000,000,000 = PATHUMAM -hundred trillion

* 1,000,000,000,000,000 = SANGGAM -quadrillion

* 10,000,000,000,000,000 = VELLAM -ten quadrillion

* 100,000,000,000,000,000 = ANNIYAM -hundred quadrillion

* 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 = ARTTAM -quintillion

* 10,000,000,000,000,000,000 = PARARTTAM -ten quintillion

* 100,000,000,000,000,000,000 = POORIYAM -hundred quintillion

* 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 = MUKKODI -sextillion

* 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 = MAHAYUGAM -ten sextillion

Fractions

1= onRu

3/4= mukkaal

1/2= arai

1/4= kaal

1/5= naalumaa

3/16= moonRu veesam

3/20= moonRumaa
1/8= araikkaal

1/10= irumaa

1/16= maakaaNi (veesam)

1/20= orumaa

3/64= mukkaal veesam

3/80= mukkaaN

1/32= araiveesam

1/40 araimaa

1/64= kaal veesam

1/80= kaaNi

3/320= araikkaaNi munthiri

1/160= araikkaaNi

1/320= munthiri

1/102,400= keezh munthiri

1/2,150,400= immi

1/23,654,400= mummi

1/165,580,800= aNu

1/1,490,227,200= kuNam

1/7,451,136,000= pantham

1/44,706,816,000= paagam

1/312,947,712,000= vintham

1/5,320,111,104,000= naagavintham

1/74,481,555,456,000= sinthai

1/1,489,631,109,120,000= kathirmunai

1/59,585,244,364,800,000= kuralvaLaippidi
1/3,575,114,661,888,000,000= veLLam

1/357,511,466,188,800,000,000= nuNNmaNl

1/2,323,824,530,227,200,000,000= thaertthugaL

Currency

1 pal (wooden discs/sea shellots)= (approximately) 0.9 grain

8 (or 10 base 8 ) paRkaL =1 senkaaNi (copper/bronze) = 7.2 grains(misinterpretted by Roman accounts

as 10 base 10 paRkal =9 grains)

1/4 senkaaNi =1 kaalkaaNi (copper) =1.8 grains(misinterpretted by Roman accounts as 2.25 grains)

64 (or 100 base 8 ) paRkaL = 1 KaaNap-pon a.k.a. Kaasu panam(gold) = 57.6 grains

1 Roman dinarium was traded on par with 2 KaaNappon plus 1 SenkaaNi(=124 grains).

18 Ana = 2.5 Rupee, 16 Ana = 1 Rupee, 1 Ana = 3 Thuttu, 1/4 Ana = 3/4 (mukkal) thuttu

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30 responses to “Tamil units of measurement”

Sureshkannan (Pulli)

September 20, 2011 at 9:26 AM

Scene da….

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gokulking

September 20, 2011 at 12:41 PM

innum nariya iruku da machi… its difficult to edit.. will update one by one… i have plan to buy own
website for this.. will c..
12

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sundar

December 8, 2013 at 1:31 AM

எஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ (Decimal Calculation)..!

எஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ

எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ, எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎ எஎஎஎ எஎஎ எஎஎ எஎஎஎஎ
எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ 1000 எஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ, எஎஎஎஎஎஎ
எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ
எஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎ, எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ..?!

எஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎ எஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ

எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ.

1 – எஎஎஎஎ

3/4 – எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ

1/2 – எஎஎ எஎஎஎ

1/4 – எஎஎஎ

1/5 – எஎஎஎஎஎ

3/16 – எஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎ

3/20 – எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ

1/8 – எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ

1/10 – எஎஎஎஎ

1/16 – எஎஎஎஎஎ(எஎஎஎஎ)

1/20 – எஎஎஎஎ

3/64 – எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ

3/80 – எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ

1/32 – எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ

1/40 – எஎஎஎஎ

1/64 – எஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎ

1/80 – எஎஎஎ

3/320 – எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ

1/160 – எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ

1/320 – எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ

1/102400 – எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ

1/2150400 – எஎஎஎஎ

1/23654400 – எஎஎஎஎஎ

1/165580800 – எஎஎ –> 6,0393476E-9 –> nano = 0.000000001

1/1490227200 – எஎஎஎஎ

1/7451136000 – எஎஎஎஎஎ

1/44706816000 – எஎஎஎஎ

1/312947712000 – எஎஎஎஎஎஎ

1/5320111104000 – எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ

1/74481555456000 – எஎஎஎஎஎ

1/489631109120000 – எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ
1/9585244364800000 – எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ

1/575114661888000000 – எஎஎஎஎஎஎ

1/57511466188800000000 – எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ

1/2323824530227200000000 – எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ.

எஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ

எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ. எஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎை எஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎ
எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ, எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ,
எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ (எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ) எஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ
எஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎ எஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎ, எஎஎ எஎஎ
எஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎ

எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ எஎஎஎஎஎஎஎ..!