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The History of India’s Weights, From a Seed To Kilogram

Did you know the one of the oldest units to measure weight in India is ‘Ratti’, which is based on a seed?

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Ever wondered, how the system of weights in our country has evolved? Or do you also think that kilogram has been the standard measure forever? History of India’s measurement systems, as per Aditya Vij’s knowledge, began 500-600 years ago.

One of the oldest units to measure weight in India is ‘Ratti'. Ratti is actually a seed of a plant which is supposed to have standard (almost) weight. The Ratti system now has its own standard, with one Ratti equaling 0.1215 grams.

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The ways to measure weight stayed ambiguous till the Mughals came to India. The need to change the Ratti system was obvious since it did not follow a standard measure. Therefore the Mughals brought in ‘Baat’. This is very similar to the modern day kilogram weights. The Baat system was meant to be uniform, but then every province started coming up with its own version of Baats. This gave birth to more confusion.

Baat eventually came to be called Seer, but that too was replaced when the Britishers brought their own weighing system in the country. They came up with 'lbs.' and 'pounds'. But this system also had a variety of weights, with a very significant one bearing an emblem of King George V.

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In 1958, after India’s independence, the government decided to end this whole confusion and came up with a standardised weighing system. That is when the system based on kilogram came into existence.

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Topics:  Mughals   King George V   Seer 

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