Land measurement in Punjab uses the karam, marla, kanal and killa chain: 1 marla = 272.25 sq ft, 1 kanal = 20 marla = 5,445 sq ft, and 1 killa (acre) = 8 kanal = 43,560 sq ft. Bigha and biswa still appear in some older records, and city plots are often sold in gaj (square yards).
Punjab land measurement chart
The whole Punjab system grows out of one measuring rod, the karam (करम), which is 66 inches or 5.5 ft long. One square karam is a sarsai (also written sarsahi).
| Unit | Made of | Square feet | Gaj (sq yd) | Square metres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 sarsai | 1 karam x 1 karam | 30.25 | 3.3611 | 2.8103 |
| 1 marla (ਮਰਲਾ) | 9 sarsai | 272.25 | 30.25 | 25.2929 |
| 1 kanal (ਕਨਾਲ) | 20 marla | 5,445 | 605 | 505.8571 |
| 1 killa (ਕਿੱਲਾ) or acre | 8 kanal | 43,560 | 4,840 | 4,046.8564 |
| 1 murabba | 25 killa | 1,089,000 | 121,000 | 101,171.4106 |
So 1 killa = 160 marla = 1,440 sarsai. A killa is also described as 36 karam by 40 karam. One hectare is 2.4711 acre, or about 19.77 kanal. The Punjab Land Records Manual asks patwaris to write area in kanal, marla and sarsai (or metric units) and to convert it to hectares.
Old marla sizes in some districts
Before consolidation of holdings, some districts used a shorter karam. A shorter karam gives a smaller marla:
- 60 inch karam: marla = 225 sq ft and kanal = 4,500 sq ft. This is the commonly cited old measure of Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Ferozepur and Faridkot.
- 57.5 inch karam: marla = about 206.6 sq ft.
- 54 inch karam: marla = 182.25 sq ft.
These systems are said to have been brought to the 66 inch karam after consolidation, but we could not confirm which villages still show old marlas. A 225 sq ft marla is also used in some urban plot deals. See the marla values below.
Size of one bigha by region
| Region | 1 bigha in sq ft | In sq m | In acre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pucca bigha: Uttar Pradesh, central Bihar (Patna, Arrah), east Rajasthan | 27,225 | 2,529.29 | 0.625 |
| Kachha bigha: west Rajasthan; also the Gujarat vigha | 17,424 | 1,618.74 | 0.4 |
| West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand (Ranchi) | 14,400 | 1,337.8 | 0.330579 |
| Madhya Pradesh (most quoted value) | 12,000 | 1,114.84 | 0.275482 |
| Delhi, Haryana and Punjab (old bigha-biswa records) | 9,075 | 843.0951 | 0.208333 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 8,712 | 809.3713 | 0.2 |
| Uttarakhand | 6,804 | 632.1123 | 0.156198 |
| Bihar: Hajipur and Muzaffarpur | 38,025 | 3,532.64 | 0.872934 |
| Bihar: Chhapra (Saran) | 34,848 | 3,237.49 | 0.8 |
| Bihar: Bettiah (West Champaran) | 65,340 | 6,070.28 | 1.5 |
Size of one marla by region
| Region | 1 marla in sq ft | In sq m | In square meter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, Jammu (standard) | 272.25 | 25.2929 | 25.2929 |
| Old measure in parts of Punjab (Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Ferozepur) | 225 | 20.9032 | 20.9032 |
1 visva (biswa) in gaj in Punjab
Biswa (often spelt visva or bisva) is one twentieth of a bigha. Punjab bigha values are not confirmed by an official Punjab source, and sources differ:
| Bigha value quoted | Bigha (sq ft) | 1 biswa (sq ft) | 1 biswa (gaj) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Punjab region bigha, 4.8 per acre (used on this site) | 9,075 | 453.75 | 50.4167 |
| Property guide, lower figure | 9,070 | 453.5 | 50.3889 |
| Property guide, higher figure | 9,090 | 454.5 | 50.5 |
| Encyclopedia figure, 2 bigha per acre | 21,780 | 1,089 | 121 |
The first three agree closely: 1 biswa is about 50 gaj. The last one is very different. Some guides also say 1 bigha = 4 kanal, which equals 21,780 sq ft and matches only the last figure. Because of this conflict, always ask the patwari which bigha your village record follows.
Official records and portal
Punjab land records are kept by the Punjab Land Records Society on the Jamabandi Punjab portal. Jamabandi and khasra girdawari entries show area in kanal and marla, and sometimes sarsai or hectares.
How to read land size in Punjab records
An entry of 1 kanal 5 marla is two parts, not 1.5 kanal:
- 1 kanal = 5,445 sq ft
- 5 marla = 5 x 272.25 = 1,361.25 sq ft
- Total = 6,806.25 sq ft = 756.25 gaj = 1.25 kanal
Try our kanal to gaj converter, marla to gaj converter or kanal to acre converter for your own figures.
Common mistakes
- Reading 1.5 as 1 kanal 5 marla. 5 marla is a quarter of a kanal, so the decimal is 1.25.
- Using a 225 sq ft marla for a 272.25 sq ft record, or the other way round. Ask which marla your deal uses.
- Using a bigha chart from another state. The UP bigha is three times the old Punjab region bigha.
This page explains common practice and is not an official source. For a sale, partition or court case, confirm the unit with the patwari or tehsil office and check the current jamabandi.
Questions people ask
1 visva into gaj in Punjab kitna hota hai?
With the old Punjab region bigha of 9,075 sq ft, 1 biswa (visva) = 453.75 sq ft, which is about 50.42 gaj. Other guides give values between 50.39 and 50.5 gaj. One source uses a much bigger bigha, so confirm locally.
Punjab mein 1 killa kitne kanal ka hota hai?
1 killa = 8 kanal = 160 marla. A killa is the same as an acre, 43,560 sq ft.
How many square feet are in 1 marla in Punjab?
The standard Punjab marla is 272.25 sq ft (30.25 gaj). An older 225 sq ft marla is commonly used in parts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Ferozepur and Faridkot, and in some urban deals.
Which units does the Punjab patwari use?
The Punjab Land Records Manual tells patwaris to state area in kanal, marla and sarsai, or in metric units, and to convert it to hectares. Most jamabandi entries are in kanal and marla.
Is there a land measurement calculator for Punjab?
Yes, the converter on this page handles marla, kanal, killa, bigha, gaj and square feet. Pick the marla or bigha value that matches your record before you convert.
Local units can differ inside a state. Before a sale, partition or court filing, confirm the unit with your tehsil, circle or revenue office and check the land record. How we check our numbers.