Kos (unit)


The kos, also spelled coss, koss, kosh, koh, krosh, and krosha, is a unit of measurement which is derived from a Sanskrit term, क्रोश, 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. According to the Arthashastra, a or is about.
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, making the kos approximately. Another conversion suggested a kos to be approximately 2 English miles.
A related unit is the gavyuti, said to be equal to the distance at which a cow's call can be heard. This length is usually considered synonymous with the kos, being translated as the equivalent of a western league, though some systems do reckon them to be different.

Arthashastra Standard units

The "Arthashastra: Chapter XX. "Measurement of space and time", authored in 4th century BC by Chanakya, sets this standard breakup of Indian units of length:
  • 1 angul = approx.
  • 4 angul = 1 dhanurgrah =
  • 8 angul = 1 dhanurmushti =
  • 12 angul = 1 vitastaa =
  • 2 vitastaa = 1 aratni or hast =
  • 4 aratni = 1 dand or dhanush = ;
  • 10 dand = 1 rajju =
  • 2 rajju = 1 paridesh =
  • 10 rajju = 1 goruta =
  • 10 goruta= 1 krosha/kos = nearly

Conversion to SI units and imperial units

Kos may also refer to roughly Arthashastra standard unit of kos or krosha is equal to 3075 metres in SI units and 1.91 miles in imperial units.

Usage of kos

Evidence of official usage exists from the 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 48 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.