Bigha sizes by region
| Region | m² | sq ft | acres | hectares |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pucca bigha (Rajasthan, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar)default | 2,529.29 | 27,225 | 0.625 | 0.252929 |
| West Bengal | 1,337.8 | 14,400 | 0.330579 | 0.13378 |
| Bangladesh | 1,337.8 | 14,400 | 0.330579 | 0.13378 |
| Assam | 1,337.8 | 14,400 | 0.330579 | 0.13378 |
| Haryana (pre-consolidation records) | 843.0951 | 9,075 | 0.208333 | 0.0843095 |
| Nepal (Terai) | 6,772.63 | 72,900 | 1.6736 | 0.677263 |
- Pucca bigha (Rajasthan, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar): = 3,025 sq yd = 27,225 sq ft (165 ft × 165 ft) = 5/8 acre; 20 biswa or katha
- West Bengal: = 1,600 sq yd = 14,400 sq ft = 20 katha
- Bangladesh: = 1,600 sq yd = 14,400 sq ft = 20 katha (about 33 decimal)
- Assam: = 5 katha = 100 lessa = 14,400 sq ft
- Haryana (pre-consolidation records): 4 bigha 16 biswa = 1 acre; 1 bigha = 20 biswa = 400 biswansi (square karam of 57.157 in)
- Nepal (Terai): = 20 kattha = 400 dhur = 72,900 sq ft ≈ 6,772.63 m²
About the bigha
The bigha is one of the oldest land measures in South Asia, and it has no single size. Each revenue settlement fixed its own bigha, so a bigha in Kolkata and a bigha in Jaipur differ by almost a factor of two. The values on this page are documented definitions, not a complete list: districts and even villages kept their own bigha, and your land record, sale deed or local revenue office (tehsil, circle office or land revenue office) decides which value applies to your land.
The converter defaults to the pucca bigha of 3,025 sq yd (27,225 sq ft, exactly 5/8 acre), the size used in Rajasthan, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Bengal’s bigha was standardized under British rule at 1,600 sq yd (14,400 sq ft), and the same size is used in West Bengal, Bangladesh and Assam. It is just under a third of an acre: three Bengal bigha fall 360 sq ft short of one acre.
Nepal’s bigha, used in the Terai plains, is much larger: 72,900 sq ft (6,772.63 m²), about 1.67 acres, divided into 20 kattha of 20 dhur. Haryana’s older revenue records use a much smaller bigha: 4 bigha 16 biswa make one acre, so one bigha is 9,075 sq ft. Haryana later moved to the acre, kanal and marla.
Other states use further sizes, including the kachha bigha and the bighas of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand. We have left those out until we can cite an official definition, so check your own records before relying on any converter.
Related measures
- 1 bigha = 20 katha (or biswa) in most systems; 5 katha in Assam
- 1 biswa = 20 biswansi (Haryana)
- Pucca bigha: 1.6 bigha = 1 acre; 1 hectare ≈ 3.95 bigha
- Bengal and Assam bigha: 3.025 bigha = 1 acre; 1 hectare ≈ 7.47 bigha
- Nepal: 1 bigha ≈ 13.31 ropani ≈ 1.67 acres
Quick table
Using the Pucca bigha (Rajasthan, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar) value.
| Bigha | Square feet | Square meters | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27,225 | 2,529.29 | 0.625 |
| 2 | 54,450 | 5,058.57 | 1.25 |
| 5 | 136,125 | 12,646.43 | 3.125 |
| 10 | 272,250 | 25,292.85 | 6.25 |
| 20 | 544,500 | 50,585.71 | 12.5 |
| 50 | 1,361,250 | 126,464.26 | 31.25 |
| 100 | 2,722,500 | 252,928.53 | 62.5 |
Sources
- Russ Rowlett, How Many? A Dictionary of Units of Measurement (UNC Chapel Hill), “bigha” (Pucca bigha (Rajasthan, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar); West Bengal; Bangladesh)
- Wikipedia: Bigha (regional sections and their references) (Assam)
- Revenue Department, Government of Haryana (HALRIS Jamabandi): Units of Measurements (Haryana (pre-consolidation records))
- Government of Nepal, Department of Land Management and Records: land unit conversion table (Nepal (Terai))
Spotted a value that’s wrong for your area, or a regional value we should add? Email support@landmeasure.app with a source.