Kos (unit)

The kos (Hindi: कोस), also spelled coss, koss, kosh, koh(in Punjabi), krosh, and krosha, is a unit of measurement which is derived from a Sanskrit term, क्रोश krośa, which means a '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 BCE.

[1] 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 (840 mm), making the kos approximately 4,191 metres (13,750 ft).

[7][dubious – discuss] Evidence of official usage exists from the Vedic period to the Mughal era.