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katha

1

In India, a unit of land area, = 1/20th bigha, = 720 square feet. Also spelled cottah.

There may have been another, similiarly named land measure in Bengal, a square 4 cubits on a side (not 6 feet, the cubits of India are not 18 inches). Assuming a cubit of 19½ inches, the area would be 42¼ square feet.

Simmonds (1892).

sources

Káṭhá, Beng. () A measure of land, varying in different places, but usually a square of four cubits, or six feet long ; see Kattha.

H. H. Wilson, 1855, page 268.

Kaṭṭhá, Kuṭṭha, corruptly, Cottah, H. () A measure of land, the twentieth part of the Bengal Bíghá of 1600 square yards, containing 80 square yards, or 720 square feet. In Hindustan the term is applied also to a grain measure of five sers : see Káṭhá; it may be doubted if these are not the same words, although differently written and explained).

H. H. Wilson, 1855, page 269.

2

कठ्ठा In Nepal, a unit of land area, about 338.57 square meters. Also spelled kattha.

United Nations, 1966.

sources

The superficial contents of a Kaith of a hundred Moories are equal to about four Biggahs, and thirds of a Biggah. The divisions of a Kaith are as follow:
20 Pathies [=] 1 Moorie (18¾ Dhoors of Bengal).
20 Moories [=] 1 Beeswa
5 Beeswas [=] 1 Kaith.

It is to be observed, however, that this is not properly land measurement, the Pathie and Moori being strictly measures of capacity; nor are Kaiths universally of the same superficial area; but being for the most part equal to about four Biggahs, and two-thirds,* Bengal measurement, and estimated to produce one hundred Moories of grain in the husk, the term is used to convey a fixed idea of superficial quantity, though in a restrained sense it signifies merely a field or plantation.

* Or exactly to 4 Biggahs, 18 Cottahs, and 15 Dhoors.

Colonel Kirkpatrick.
An Account of the Kingdom of Nepaul, …
London: Printed for William Miller, 1811.
Page 94-95.

The land rent is levied by so much on each crop, by a bigah of nine common cubits the Katha, equal to 72,900 square feet. [page 153]

The whole lands in Nepal have long been divided into what are called Khets or fields, each of which is estimated in ordinary seasons to produce 100 Muris, or 234½ bushels of Paddy, or rice in the husk. About the year 1792 Ranjit Pangre, then one of the Karyis, by the orders of Rana Bahadur, made a survey of the valley; but the result has been kept secret. The people know only that he estimated each of their possessions at a certain number of Rupinis, and that on an average twenty-five of these formed one Khet. They also observed, that in good soils he used a rod seven cubits and a half in length, and in bad soils he employed one nine cubits and a half long. Some people who had resided at Patna informed my Brahman, that the Rupini was nearly of the same size with the Biga of that city, which is one-third of an English acre; and this is the only foundation that I have for the calculations which I have made.

It must, however, be observed, that, according to the information received by Colonel Kirkpatrick, the average Rupini contains only 3¾ Kathas of the Calcutta measure, or only 3/16 of what was reported to me; and if his information is considered more likely than mine to be correct, all the statements which I have subsequently given, concerning the produce of an acre in Nepal, must be augmented in that proportion. For instance, I have stated the rice in the husk produced by an acre to be about 28 bushels; but, according to the information given to Colonel Kirkpatrick, it ought to be almost 150 bushels. This induces me to place no great confidence in part of the information given to the Colonel; for, as I shall afterwards have occasion to state, I have no doubt that the crops of rice near Calcutta are more abundant than those of Nepal. [pages 216-217, with correction from Errata]

Francis Hamilton.
An Account of the Kingdom of Nepal.
Edinburgh: Archibald Constable and Company, et al, 1819.

3

In Bangladesh, a unit of land area, similar to the above, but we are still seeking specific information.