Kos (unit)

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The kos (Hindi: कोस), also spelled coss, koss, kosh, krosh, and krosha, is a unit of measurement which is derived from a Sanskrit term, क्रोश krośa, which means to "call", as the unit was supposed to represent the distance at which another human could be heard. It is an ancient Indian subcontinental standard unit of distance, in use since at least 4 BC. According to the Artha-śāstra, a krośa or kos is about 3000 meters or 1.8 miles.^{[citation needed]}

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 kos approximately 4191 meters.^[1] Another conversion suggested a kos to be approximately 2 English miles.^[2]

Arthashastra Standard units[]

Kos Minar in Delhi

The "Arthashastra: Chapter XX. Measurement of space and time", authored in 4th century BC by Chanakya (Vishnugupta Kauṭilya), sets this standard breakup of Indian units of length:^{[3][better source needed][4]}

• 1 Angul (approximate width of a finger) = approx. 3/4 of an inch;^{[citation needed]}
• 4 Angul = Dhanurgrah (bow grip) = 3 in;^{[citation needed]}
• 8 Angul = 1 Dhanurmushti (fist with thumb raised) = 6 in;^{[citation needed]}
• 12 Angul = 1 Vitastaa (span-distance of stretched out palm between the tips of a person's thumb and the little finger) = 9 in;^{[citation needed]}
• 2 Vitastaa (from the tip of the elbow to the tip of the middle finger) = 1 Aratni or Hast (cubit or Haath) = 18 in;^{[citation needed]}
• 4 Aratni (Haath) = 1 Dand or Dhanush (bow) = 6 ft;^{[citation needed]}
• 10 Dand = 1 Rajju = 60 ft;^{[citation needed]}
• 2 Rajju = 1 Paridesh = 120 ft;^{[citation needed]}
• 10 Rajju = 1 Goruta = 219 yards or 1⁄8 miles - nearly 200 m;^{[citation needed]}
• 10 Goruta= 1 Krosh/ Kos = Nearly 3350 Yards or 3060 meters or 1.9 Miles^{[citation needed]}

Conversion to SI units and Imperial units[]

Kos may also refer to roughly 1.8 km (1.12 mile)^[5] Arthashastra Standard unit of Kos or krosh is equal to 3075 metres in SI units and 1.91 miles in Imperial units.^{[6][dubious – discuss]}

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 . 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[]

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