Kos (unit)

The kos (Hindi: कोस), also spelled coss, Koss, Kosh, Krosh, and krosha (derived from Sanskrit: क्रोश hich means to "call" and the unit was supposed to represent the distance at which another human could be heard), is an ancient Indian subcontinental Arthashastra standard unit of distance, since at least 4 BCE. According to the Arthashastra a kos is about 200 m or 0.125 miles.[1]

Kos (unit)
Unit systemArthashastra
Unit oflength
Symbolkos 
Conversions
1 kos in ...... is equal to ...
   SI units   200 m
   imperial/US units   0.125 mi
 656 ft

Another conversion is based on the Mughal emperor Akbar who standardized the unit to 5000 guz in the Ain-i-Akbari. The British in India standardized Akbar's guz to 33 inches making the coss approx. 4191 m.[2] Another conversion suggested is of a coss to be two English miles.[3]

Arthashastra Standard units
Kos Minar in Delhi

The "Arthashastra: Chapter XX. Measurement of space and time", authored in 4th century BCE by Chanakya (Vishnugupta Kauṭilya), sets this standard breakup of Indian units of length:[1][4]

  • 1 Angul (approximate width of a finger) = approx. 3/4 of an inch;
  • 4 Angul = Dhanurgrah (bow grip) = 3 in;
  • 8 Angul = 1 Dhanurmushti (fist with thumb raised) = 6 in;
  • 12 Angul = 1 Vitastaa (span-distance of stretched out palm between the tips of a person's thumb and the little finger) = 9 in;
  • 2 Vitastaa (from the tip of the elbow to the tip of the middle finger) = 1 Aratni or Hast (cubit or Haath) = 18 in;
  • 4 Aratni (Haath) = 1 Dand or Dhanush (bow) = 6 ft;
  • 10 Dand = 1 Rajju (also called Hasta or Haath हाथ, i.e. hand) = 60 ft;
  • 2 Rajju = 1 Paridesh = 120 ft;
  • 11 Dand (Dhanush) = 1 Krosha (krosh or kos) or Goruta = 219 yards or ​1⁄8 miles - nearly 200 m;
  • 4 Krosh = 1/15 Yojan = 1/2 miles - nearly 800 m;

Conversion to SI units and Imperial units

Kos may also refer to roughly 0.2 km (1/8 mile)[5] Arthashastra Standard unit of Kos or krosh is equal to 200 metres in SI units and 0.125 miles in Imperial units.[6]

Usage of Kos

Evidence of official usage exists from Vedic period to the Mughal era. Elderly people in many rural areas of the Indian subcontinent still refer to distances from nearby areas in kos. Most Hindu religious Parikrama circuits are measured in kos, such as 720 kos parikrama of Kurukshetra. Along India's old highways, particularly the Grand Trunk Road, one still finds 16th to early 18th century Kos Minars, or mile markers, erected at distances of a little over two miles.[7]

See also

References
  1. Arthashastra, Chanakya, 4th century BCE, pp151
  2. Yule, Henry; Burnell, A. C. (1903). Crooke, William (ed.). Hobson-Jobson : being a glossary of Anglo-India colloquial words and phrases, and of kindred terms, etymological, historical, geographical and discursive. London: John Murray. p. 261.
  3. Prinsep, James (1840). Useful Tables, Forming an Appendix to the Journal of the Asiatic Society. Calcutta: Bishop's College Press. p. 91.
  4. "Valmiki Ramayana / Book III: Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek / Chapter (Sarga) 69". Retrieved 29 September 2007.
  5. Measure for Measure, Young & Glover, 1996
  6. Cosmic Order and Cultural Astronomy: Sacred Cities of India, By Rana P. B. Singh with a Foreword by John, 2009. pp.4
  7. C.D. Verma (10 July 2006). "Signposts lost in history". Tribune India. Retrieved 29 September 2007.


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