During his reign, the Mughal emperor Akbar realized a need for a uniform system, and used the weight of the barley corn as a standard.
When the British first began trading in India, they accepted barley corn as a unit for weighing gold.
89 of 1956, amended 1960, 1964) as follows: The current definitions as per the UN are: These are the weights and measures popular in North India before the adoption of the metric system.
The following nomenclature was prevalent in North India until the metric system was established: 4 Chāwal (grain of rice) = 1 Dhan (weight of one wheat berry) 4 Dhan = 1 Ratti (seed of the 'Abrus precatorius' plant, called 'Surkh' by Abul Fazl in Ain-i-Akbari.).
Conversion 1 Bhari = 11.66375 gram 3.75 Troy ounce = 10 Bhari Weight of 64 Dhan (Wheat berries) = Weight of 45 Jau (Barley corns) Weight of 1 Barley corn = 64.79891 milligrams Commodity Weight System 1 Bhari = 4 Siki 1 Kancha = 5 Siki 1 Chhataank = 4 Kancha 1 Chhataank = 5 Bhari 1 Adh-pav = 2 Chhatank = 1/8 Seer 1 Pav = 2 Adh-pav = ¼ Seer (Pav means ¼) The unit pav is still used to this date however, it has been modified to "a fourth of a kilogram".
Anguli (width of 3 fingers) = 1 Girah 8 Girah = 1 Hath (elbow to the end of the middle finger, approximately 18" ) 5 5/6 Hath = One Kathi 20 Kathi = One Pand 1 Pand= 1 Beesa 20 Pand = One Begah 2 Hath = 1 Gaz 3 Gaz = Two Karam 3 Karams = 1 Kan 3 Square Kans = 1 Marla 20 Marlas = 1 Kanal 8 Kanals = 1 Ghamaon 9 Kanals 12 Marlas = 1 Acre[citation needed] 4 Kanals = 1 Begah Akbar standardised weights and measurements using a barley corn (Jau).
[3] Traditionally one maund represented the weight unit for goods which could be carried over some distance by porters or pack animals.