Bigha
Encyclopedia
The bigha is a unit of measurement of area of a land, commonly used in Nepal
, Bangladesh
and in a few states of India
including Uttaranchal, Maharashtra
, Himachal Pradesh
, Uttar Pradesh
, Bihar
, West Bengal
, Assam
, Gujarat, Rajasthan
etc. The precise size of a bigha appears to vary considerably. Sources have given measurements that range from 1,500 to 6,771 square meters, but in several smaller pockets, it is as high as 12,400 square meters.
, where a Bigha is about 6,772.63 square meters. Officially, most measurement of lands use units of either Bigha (in Terai region) or Ropani (Nepali: रोपनी) (in Hilly regions). Metric system is very seldom used officially in measuring area of Land.
Measurement of area in terms of bigha
1 Bigha =20 Biswa
For the different Ropani system from the one above
follows the standard set during British colonial rule at 1600 square yards (0.1338 hectare or 0.3306 acre), often interpreted as a third of an acre (it is precisely 40⁄121 acre).
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
and in a few states of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
including Uttaranchal, Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
, Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
, Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, Gujarat, Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
etc. The precise size of a bigha appears to vary considerably. Sources have given measurements that range from 1,500 to 6,771 square meters, but in several smaller pockets, it is as high as 12,400 square meters.
Uses in India
Bigha is a traditional unit of land in several parts of India, with land purchases still being undertaken in this unit. However, it varies in size from one part of India to another. It is less than an acre (0.4 hectare), however could extend upto 3 acres. Various states and often parts within states have different sizes attributed to 1 Bigha.- In AssamAssamAssam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, India, a Bigha is 14,400 square feet. It is subdivided into 5 Kotha. Each Kotha consists of 20 Lecha. Each Lecha is 144 square feet in area, and hence each Kotha is 2880 sq ft in area.
- In BiharBiharBihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, different parts use different sizes for Bigha. Near the capital, Patna, 1 Bigha is equivalent to 20 Kattha each worth 1361 Sq. Feet. Furthermore, One Kattha are subdivided in 20 Dhur. Hence, each Dhur is approximnately 68.06 Sq. Feet.- Further, in some of the eastern parts of the state including Munger,Bhagalpur and Jamui, One Dhur is further subdivided into 1 square lagga(pole length). One lagga is equivalent to 5.5 hand length, with each hand length being 18 inch.
- In Himachal PradeshHimachal PradeshHimachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
, India, 5 Bigha are equal to 2 Acre.
- In central India, Bighas were standardized at 3025 square yards or 5/8 acre (0.2529 hectare).
- In Madhya PradeshMadhya PradeshMadhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
, India, 1 Kattha = 600 Sq Feet.
- In Uttar PradeshUttar PradeshUttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
1 Bigha is divided in 20 Biswas. Each Biswas is 125 Sq.Mts or 154.32 Sq. Yds Hence, One Bigha is 0.25 Hectare (or 2500 Sq.Mts or 3087.41 Sq.Yds).While in Uttar Pradesh (West) the measurements are slightly differ 1 Bigha=20 Bishwa=60 Decimal=2428.80 Sq. Mtrs - In Uttaranchal, 1 Bigha is subdivided into 19 Bissas or 12 Nali. In Imperial and SI Units, each Bigha is 968 sq. yard or 800 sq.mt.
- In West BengalWest BengalWest Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
, the bigha was standardized under British colonial rule at 1600 square yards (0.1338 hectare or 0.3306 acre); this is often interpreted as being 1/3 acre (it is precisely 40⁄121 acre). In Metric Unites, a Bigha is hence 1333.33 m².
Use in Nepal
In NepalNepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, where a Bigha is about 6,772.63 square meters. Officially, most measurement of lands use units of either Bigha (in Terai region) or Ropani (Nepali: रोपनी) (in Hilly regions). Metric system is very seldom used officially in measuring area of Land.
Measurement of area in terms of bigha
- 1 Bigha (बिघा)= 20 Kattha (कठ्ठा) (about 6,772.63 m² or 72,900 sq.ft.)
- 1 Kattha (কাঠা, कठ्ठा) = 20 Dhur (धुर) (about 338.63 m² or 3,645 sq.ft.)
- 1 Dhur (धुर) = 16.93 m² or 182.25 sq.ft.
- 1 Bigha = 13.31 Ropani (रोपनी)
- 1 Ropani = 16 aana (आना) (about 508.72 m² or 5476 sq. ft.)
- 1 aana = 4 paisa (पैसा) (about 31.80 m² or 342.25 sq.ft.)
- 1 paisa = 4 daam (दाम) (7.95 m²)
1 Bigha =20 Biswa
For the different Ropani system from the one above
- 1 Bigha = .677263 hectare = 1.6735 acre = 13.31 Ropani
- 1.5 Bigha = 1 Hectare
- 1 Hectare = 19.965 Ropani
- 19.965 Ropani = 1 Hectare
- 1 Ropani = 508.83771 m²
Uses in Bangladesh
As is the case with West Bengal in India, the Bigha in BangladeshBangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
follows the standard set during British colonial rule at 1600 square yards (0.1338 hectare or 0.3306 acre), often interpreted as a third of an acre (it is precisely 40⁄121 acre).
Sources
- http://www.nepalhomepage.com/converter/
- http://www.sizes.com/units/bigha.htm
- http://www.royalreality.com/areaconversion.asp
- http://etawah.nic.in/bhulekh/land_glossary.htm