Units of Measurement in Tamil

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
2 ¹⁄₂ 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 vaaram வாரம் (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 = 302 kuzhi
1 ankanam = 8 sq yd/72 sq ft
1 Mā = 100 kuzhi = 14400 sq ft
1 Kāni = 4 Mā = 57600 sq ft
1 kāni = 132 cents = 1.32 acre
1 acre = 75.625 kuzhi
1 Veļi = 5 kāni = 20 Ma = 6.62 Acre = 2.679 hectares
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 (moodai)
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 ellu 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
4 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 = 9 inch
2 saaN = 1 muzham = 46.6666 centimetre = 1.5 feet
2 saan = 1 muzham
2 muzham = 1 yard = 3 feet = 1 yard
2 yard(yaar) = 1 paagam
110 pagam = 1 furlong
8 furlong = 1 mile
5 furlong = 1 kilometre or 1000 metre
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

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 = PATHU MUKKODI = One Undecillion = 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

Malaysian text elaborates 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
100,000 = LATCHAM = Hundred Thousand = 10 ⁵
1,000,000 = PATHU LATCHAM = One Million = 10 ⁶
10,000,000 = KODI = Ten Million = 10 ⁷
100,000,000 = PATHU KODI = Hundred Million = 10 ⁸
1,000,000,000 =NOORU KODI = One Billion = 10 ⁹

Fractions

1 – ஒன்று – onRu
3/4 = 0.75 – முக்கால் – mukkaal
1/2= 0.5 – அரை – arai
1/4 = 0.25 – கால் – kaal
1/5 = 0.2 – நாலுமா – naalumaa
3/16 = 0.1875 – மும்மாகாணி –mummaakaani
3/20 = 0.15 – மும்மா – mummaa
1/8 = 0.125 – அரைக்கால் – araikkaal
1/10 = 0.1 – இருமா – irumaa
1/16 = 0.0625 – மாகாணி (வீசம்) – maakaaNi (veesam)
1/20 = 0.05 – ஒருமா – orumaa
3/64 = 0.046875 – முக்கால்வீசம் – mukkaal veesam
3/80 = 0.0375 – முக்காணி – mukkaaNi
1/32 = 0.03125 – அரைவீசம் – araiveesam
1/40 = 0.025 – அரைமா – araimaa
1/64 = 0.015625 – கால் வீசம் – kaal veesam
1/80 = 0.0125 – காணி – kaaNi
3/320 = 0.009375 – அரைக்காணி முந்திரி – araikkaaNi munthiri
1/160 = 0.00625 – அரைக்காணி – araikkaaNi
1/320 = 0.003125 – முந்திரி – munthiri
3/1280 = 0.00234375 – கீழ் முக்கால் – keel mukkal
1/640 = 0.0015625 – கீழரை – keelArai
1/1280 = 7.8125e-04 – கீழ் கால் – keel kaal
1/1600 = 0.000625 – கீழ் நாலுமா – keel nalumaa
3/5120 ≈ 5.85938e-04 – கீழ் மூன்று வீசம் – keel moondru veesam
3/6400 = 4.6875e-04 – கீழ் மும்மா – keel mummaa
1/2500 = 0.0004 – கீழ் அரைக்கால் – keel araikkaal
1/3200 = 3.12500e-04 – கீழ் இருமா – keel irumaa
1/5120 ≈ 1.95313e-04 – கீழ் வீசம் – keel veesam
1/6400 = 1.56250e-04 – கீழொருமா – keelorumaa
1/102400 ≈ 9.76563e-06 – கீழ்முந்திரி – keezh munthiri
1/2150400 ≈ 4.65030e-07 – இம்மி – immi
1/23654400 ≈ 4.22754e-08 – மும்மி – mummi
1/165580800 ≈ 6.03935e-09 – அணு – aNu
1/1490227200 ≈ 6.71039e-10 – குணம் – kuNam
1/7451136000 ≈ 1.34208e-10 – பந்தம் – pantham
1/44706816000 ≈ 2.23680e-11 – பாகம் – paagam
1/312947712000 ≈ 3.19542e-12 – விந்தம் – vintham
1/5320111104000 ≈ 1.87966e-13 – நாகவிந்தம் – naagavintham
1/74481555456000 ≈ 1.34261e-14 – சிந்தை – sinthai
1/1489631109120000 ≈ 6.71307e-16 – கதிர்முனை –kathirmunai
1/59585244364800000 ≈ 1.67827e-17 – குரல்வளைப்படி –kuralvaLaippidi
1/3575114661888000000 ≈ 2.79711e-19 -வெள்ளம் – veLLam
1/357511466188800000000 ≈ 2.79711e-21 – நுண்மணல் –nuNNmaNal
1/2323824530227200000000 ≈ 4.30325e-22 – தேர்த்துகள் –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 aka. Kaasu panam(gold) = 57.6 grains
1 Roman dinarium was traded on par with 2 KaaNappon plus 1 SenkaaNi(=124 grains).
18 Ana = 2.85 Rupee, 16 Ana = 1 Rupee, 1 Ana = 3 Thuttu, 1/4 Ana = 3/4 (mukkal) thuttu

Divisions of a Day

சிறுபொழுது (Daily r /> 1. காலை (kaalai): 6 am-10 am
2. நண்பகல் (naNpagal): 10 am-2 pm
3. ஏற்பாடு (ERpaadu): 2 pm-6 pm
4. மாலை (maalai): 6 pm-10 pm
5. இடையாமம் (idaiyaamam): 10 pm-2 am
6. வைகறை (vaikaRai): 2 am-6 am

Courtesy: wikipedia

Pages

Jan 19, 2017