Why bigha varies by region

Bigha evolved historically as a practical unit for farmers and landlords long before metric units like hectare and acre were introduced. Each region defined bigha according to local practices, soil type, tax systems, and even how much land a farmer could cultivate, so no uniform national size ever emerged.​

Because of this, the same word “bigha” can represent very different areas in square feet or square meters depending on the state or even district. This creates confusion when comparing land sizes across regions or converting to standard units like square feet, acres, or hectares.​

Typical state-wise differences

Although exact figures can vary by locality, some broad patterns are common:​

• Assam: 1 bigha is about 14,400 sq ft, further divided into katha and lessa.​
• Bihar (around Patna): 1 bigha is roughly 20 katha or about 27,225 sq ft, with 1 katha ≈ 1,361.25 sq ft.​
• West Bengal: 1 bigha is usually close to 14,400 sq ft, similar to Assam.​
• Himachal Pradesh: 1 bigha is about 8,712 sq ft, and around 5 bigha make 1 acre.​
• Punjab: 1 bigha is often treated as half an acre, i.e., about 21,780 sq ft in some references, or defined through kanal-based systems (1 bigha = 4 kanal).​
• Rajasthan: Both “pucca” and “kachcha” bigha exist; a pucca bigha is about 27,225 sq ft while a kachcha bigha can be around 17,424 sq ft.​
• Uttar Pradesh: Size ranges widely; in some western parts it can be as low as about 6,800 sq ft, while in eastern UP / Purvanchal 1 bigha may be around 27,225 sq ft.​

In neighboring countries, the idea is similar but sometimes standardized: in Bangladesh, 1 bigha is commonly fixed at 14,400 sq ft, while in Nepal a bigha is about 6,772.63 sq m, split into 20 katha and then 20 dhur each.​

Role of sub-units (katha, biswa, etc.)

Regional bigha systems often include smaller units like katha, biswa, dhur, nali, or lessa, and the number of these sub-units per bigha also changes by area.​

• In Bihar and parts of UP, 1 bigha commonly has 20 katha.​
• In Assam, 1 bigha is divided into 5 katha and each katha into 20 lessa.​
• In North Indian states such as UP, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh, biswa or biswa/biswaa is often used as a fraction of a bigha.​

These sub-units make local transactions convenient for villagers but add another layer of complexity for outsiders or formal land conversion.​

Practical impact for real estate and agriculture

Because the size of a bigha is not fixed nationally, any conversion to square feet, acres, or hectares must always specify the region. For example, 1 bigha in Assam (14,400 sq ft) is much smaller than 1 bigha in parts of Bihar or eastern UP (about 27,225 sq ft), so using the wrong standard could nearly double or halve the perceived land size.​

This has direct implications for:​

• Pricing and valuation of plots.
• Legal documentation and land records when they are updated to metric units.
• Online calculators and marketing material, which must clearly mention the state or local standard.

Key takeaway for your use

For professional work (like your blogs or client advisory):​

• Always mention “1 bigha in [State/Region] = X sq ft” instead of using a single India-wide figure.
• Use region-specific conversion charts (bigha to sq ft / acre / hectare) for states where you operate or write about.
• Clarify in your content that bigha is a traditional, region-dependent unit to build trust and avoid disputes with buyers.