HINDU REVOLUTION : Measurements In Ancient South India

Measurements in ancient Tamil-speaking South India were widely different from modern day metric and imperial systems. These ancient measurement systems spanned systems of counting, distances, volumes, time, weight as well as tools used to do so. While India is one of the countries to use the metric system International System of Units (Tamil Nadu state included), some of these older day measurement systems, especially those of counting are used in the present day.

There are several similarities between the measurement system used in Tamil Nadu and that used by the Indus Valley civilisation.

Units of time in ancient Tamil history

12 (base 8) or 10 kuzhigaL = 1 miy = 66.6666 millisecond-the time taken by the young human eyes to flap once.
2 kaNNimaigaL (கண்ணிமைகள்) = 1 kainodi (கைநொடி) = 0.125 second
2 kainodi = 1 maatthirai (மாத்திரை) = 0.25 second
6 (base 8) or 6 miygaL = 1 siRRuzhi (nodi) சிற்றுழி (நொடி) = 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 (சாண்).
2 maatthiraigaL = 1 kuru (குறு) = 0.50 second
2 (base 8) or 2 nodigaL = 1 vinaadi வினாடி = 0.80 second-the time for the adult human heart to beat once
2¹⁄₂ nodigaL = 2 kuru = 1 uyir உயிர் = 1 second
5 nodigaL = 2 uyir = 1 saNigam சாணிகம் = 1/2 aNu அணு = 2 seconds
12 (base 8) or 10 nodigaL = 1 aNu = 4 seconds
6 (base 8) or 6 aNukkaL = 12 saNigam = 1 thuLi துளி = 1 naazhigai-vinaadi நாழிகை வினாடி = 24 seconds
12 (base 8) or 10 thuLigaL = 1 kaNam கணம் = 4 minutes
6 (base 8) or 6 kaNangaL = 1 naazhigai= 24 minutes
12 (base 8) or 10 naazhigaigaL = 4 saamam சாமம் = 1 siRupozhuthu சிறுபொழுது = 240 minutes = 4 hours
6 (base 8) or 6 siRu-pozhuthugaL = 1 naaL நாள் (1 day) = 24 hours
7 naaTkaL = 1 kizhamai கிழமை (1 week)
15 naaTkaL = 1 azhuvam அழுவம் (1 fortnight)
29.5 naaTkaL = 1 thingaL திங்கள் (1 lunar month)
2 thingaL = 1 perum-pozhuthu பெரும்பொழுது (1 season)
6 perum-pozhuthugaL = 1 AaNdu (1 year)
64 aaNdugaL = 1 vattam வட்டம் (1 cycle)
4096 (=8^4) AaNdugaL = 1 Oozhi ஊழி (1 epoch)

Area Measurement

1 Marakkal vaedaipadu (seeds required for planting rice) = 8 cents
12.5 Marakkal vaedaipadu = 100 cents (one acre)

குறுணி = 8 cents
பதக்கு = 16 cents
முக்குறுணி = 24 cents

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 Veesam = 6*6 sq ft = 36 sq ft
1 Kuzhi = 4 Veesams
1 Kuzhi = 144 sq ft
1 Kuzhi = 0.331 cents
1 Kāni = 400 kuzhis
1 acre = 436 kuzhi
1 ankanam = 8 sq yd/72 sq ft
1 Mā = 100 kuzhi = 10000 sq ft (Not 10000 sq ft but 14400 sq ft When 1 Kuzhi = 144 sq ft)
1 Kāni = 4 Mā = 40000 sq ft (Not 40000 sq ft but 57600 sq ft)
1 kāni = 132 cents = 1.32 acre
1 acre = 75.625 kuzhi
1 Veļi = 7 kāni = 6.43 acres = 2.6 hectares (1 Veli = 20 Ma = 5 kani only not 7 kani)
1 dismil = 2.5 cent
1 furlong = 660 feet = 220 kejam
1 kilometre = 5 furlong
1 link / chain = 0.66 foot = 7.92 inch
1 kejam = 9.075 sq ft
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
1 cent = 48.4 sq kejam

Units of ancient trade/ Balance weights/Gold weights

4 nel edai (நல் எடை) = 1 kunRimaNi (குன்றிமணி)
2 kunRimaNi (குன்றிமணி) = 1 manchaadi (மாஞ்சாடி)
1 manchaadi (மாஞ்சாடி) = 1 paNavedai (பணவெடை)
5 paNavedai (பணவெடை) = 1 kazhanchu (கழஞ்சு)
8 paNavedai (பணவெடை) = 1 varaaganedai (வராகனெடை)
20 paNavedai (பணவெடை) = 4 kazhanchu(கழஞ்சு) = 1 kaqhsu (கஃசு)
80 paNavedai (பணவெடை)= 16 kazhanchu(கழஞ்சு)= 4 kaqhsu (கஃசு)= 1 palam (பலம்)
1.5 Kazhanchu (கழஞ்சு) = 8 grams or one sovereign/pavun.

The above is not in line with South Indian Inscriptions. 2 குன்றிம = 1 மஞ்சாடி 20 மஞ்சாடி = 1 கழஞ்சு Ceylon Currency and Coins by H W Codrington page 10 too agrees with 20 manjadi = 1 kazanju.

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
48 padi = 1 kalam
96 padi = 1 pothi (mootai)
21 marakkal = 1 Kottai
22 maakaani = 100 g

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

1 Koan = (115.8953125 picometre)
10 Koan = 1 Nunnanu (0.1158953125 nanometre)
10 Nunnanu = 1 Anu (atom) (1.158953125 nanometre)
8 Anu = 1 Kadhirthugal (9.271625 nanometre)
8 Kadhirthugal = 1 Thusumbu (74.173 nanometre)
8 Thusumbu = 1 Mayirnuni (0.593384 micrometre)
8 Mayirnuni = 1 Nunnmanal (4.74707 micrometre)
8 Nunnmanal = 1 Siru-kadugu (37.976563 micrometre)
8 Siru-kadugu = 1 Yel (303.8125 micrometre or 0.3038125 millimetre)
8 Yel = 1 Nel (2.4305 millimetre)
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
220 kajam = 1 furlong
8 furlong = 1 mile
5 furlong = 1 kilometre or 1000 metre
4 muzham = 1 paagam
625 paagam = 1 kaadham = 5000 saaN = 1166.66 metres = 1.167 kilometre

Tamil texts elaborate the following version:

1 ONDRU = One = 10 ⁰
10 = PATHU = Ten = 10 ¹
100 = NOORU = Hundred = 10 ²
1,000 = AAYIRAM = One Thousand = 10 ³
10,000 = PATHAAYIRAM = Ten Thousand = 10 ⁴
1,00,000 = LATCHAM = Hundred Thousand = 10 ⁵
10,00,000 = PATHU LATCHAM = One Million = 10 ⁶
1,00,00,000 = KODI = Ten Million = 10 ⁷
10,00,00,000 = PATHU KODI = Hundred Million = 10 ⁸
1,00,00,00,000 = ARPUTHAM = One Billion = 10 ⁹
10,00,00,00,000 = PATHU ARPUTHAM = Ten Billion = 10 ¹⁰
1,00,00,00,00,000 = NIGARPUTHAM = Hundred Billion = 10 ¹¹
10,00,00,00,00,000 = PATHU NIGARPUTHAM = One Trillion = 10 ¹²
1,00,00,00,00,00,000 = KUMBAM = Ten Trillion = 10 ¹³
10,00,00,00,00,00,000 = PATHU KUMBAM = Hundred Trillion = 10 ¹⁴
1,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 = GANAM = One Quadrillion = 10 ¹⁵
10,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 = PATHU GANAM = Ten Quadrillion = 10 ¹⁶
1,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 = KARPAM = Hundred Quadrillion = 10 ¹⁷
10,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 = PATHU KARPAM = One Quintillion = 10 ¹⁸
1,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 = NIKARPAM = Ten Quintillion = 10 ¹⁹
10,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 = PATHU NIKARPAM = Hundred Quintillion = 10 ²⁰
1,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 = PATHUMAM = One Sextillion = 10 ²¹
10,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 = PATHU PATHUMAM = Ten Sextillion = 10 ²²
1,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 = SANGGAM = Hundred Sextillion = 10 ²³
10,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 = PATHU SANGGAM = One Septillion = 10 ²⁴
1,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 = VELLAM = Ten Septillion = 10 ²⁵
10,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 = PATHU VELLAM = Hundred Septillion = 10 ²⁶
1,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 = ANNIYAM = One Octillion = 10 ²⁷
10,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 = PATHU ANNIYAM = Ten Octillion = 10 ²⁸
1,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 = ARTTAM = Hundred Octillion = 10 ²⁹
10,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 = PATHU ARTTAM = One Nonillion = 10 ³⁰
1,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 = PARARTTAM = Ten Nonillion = 10 ³¹
10,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 = PATHU PARARTTAM = Hundred Nonillion = 10 ³²
1,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 = POORIYAM = One Decillion = 10 ³³
10,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 = PATHU POORIYAM = Ten Decillion = 10 ³⁴
1,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 =MUKKODI= Hundred Decillion =10 ³⁵
10,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,000=PATHUMUKKODI= OneUndecillion = 10 ³⁶
1,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 = MAHAYUGAM = Ten Undecillion = 10 ³⁷

Fractions

1 = onRu
3/4 = mukkaal
1/2 = arai / paadhi
1/4 = kaal
1/5 = naalumaa
3/16 = mummaahani or mundaani (மும்மாகாணி/முண்டாணி)
3/20 = moonRumaa
1/8 = araikkaal
1/10 = irumaa
1/16 = maakaaNi (மாகாணி)
1/20 = orumaa
3/64 = mukkaal veesam
3/80 = mukkaaN
1/32 = araimaakaani (அரைமாகாணி)
1/40 = araimaa
1/64 = kaal maakani (கால்மாகாணி)
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 = sggtta
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

HINDU REVOLUTION

Monday, November 30, 2015

Measurements In Ancient South India