Revenue Terminology

Abadi Deh: Abadi Deh refers to cultivable lands inhabited by the villagers.

Acre: Unit of measurement of land. One acre is equal to 43,560 square feet, or 4,840 square yards.

Alienation: Alienation in Kerala Land Assignment Rule 1964 includes sale, gift, (bequest under a will), mortgage, hypothecation, or lease.

AnyRoR: Any Record of Rights Anywhere. Anyror is the online Land Record software of Gujarat State.

Badastur: Unaltered.

Banjar: Uncultivated land.

Banjar Jadid: New fellow (land not cultivated for continuous four harvests though it was cultivated earlier.

Banjar Kadim: Old fallow (If continued to be uncultivated for the next four harvests).

Barani: Dependent on rainfall.

Bhumidar: An individual who has the right to use land for purposes related to agriculture or farming.

Bhulekh: Hindi word for Land Records in India. Read More.

Bigha: A measure of area (It is different in different areas).

Biswa: One-twentieth of a bigha.

Biswansi: One twentieth of a biswa.

Chari: A kind of millet (g.v.) grown for fodder.

Chaukidar: Village Watchman.

Chkota: Lump grain rent or rent consisting of a fixed amount of grain in the rabi and kharif.

Dittam Jamabandi: Dittam Jamabandi is conducted by Tahasildar, immediately after the Annual Accounts of a village are completed by the Village Accountant as of 1st July.

Dholi: Death bed gift or a small plot of land to a Brahmin.

Gair-Mumkin: Barren.

Girdawar: Kanungo or Supervisor of Patwaris.

Girdawari: Harvest Inspection.

Gosha: Corner.

Green Zone: Area specifically reserved for the green vegetation.

Guntha: Unit of measurement; 1 Gunta = 121 square yards = 101.17 square meters.

Hectare: A unit of measurement; 1 hectare = 2.47 acres.

Hibba (Gift): Whenever a part of complete land is gifted to some person, the mutation is called Hibba or Gift. The details of the person to whom land has been gifted are recorded.

Hujur Jamabandi: Hujur Jamabandi is conducted by the Deputy Commissioner or by Asst.Commissioner any other officer appointed as such, between October to December, to verify and settle the village accounts of the previous year and to determine the current year’s Land Revenue and other dues. This is more or less an audit of last year’s account and partly an inspection to see that the accounts of the current year are brought up-to-date.

Jawar: A kind of millet (Sorghum Val gave).

Kalar: Barren Land (Sour Clay).

Kanal: A measure of area.

Kanungo: Supervisor of Patwaris.

Karam: Unit of Length.

Kharaba: Portion of the crop which has failed to come.

Kharif: Autumn harvest.

Khasra: A Khasra is a legal agricultural document used in India that specifies land and crop details. Khasras traditionally detail “all the fields and their areas, measurement, who owns and what cultivators he employs, what crops, what sort of soil, what trees are on the land.”

Khasra Girdawari: Harvest Inspection Register.

Khata: Holding of tenant.

Khatauni: A Khatauni is an abstract based on the Khasras of a village that lists out all the holdings of an individual or family in that village. In other words, all Khasras that belong to a given individual will be listed in the Khatami of that individual.

Khewat: A list of the Owner’s holdings.

Khewat/Khatauni: A combined Khewat & Khatauni.

Khud Kashat: Cultivated by the owner himself.

Killabandi: Rectangular measurement.

Lamaberdar: Village Headman.

Latha Girdawari: Cloth copy of the Patwari’s Map.

Marla: Measuring of Area.

Masri: A small pulse.

Mauza: Village.

Min: Portion / Part.

Misal Haqiyat: Record-of-Right.

Musavi: Mapping Sheet.

Mutation: Transfer or change in the ownership title.

Naib-Tehsildar: The Deputy or Assistant of the Tehsildar.

Naksha Bartan: This document maintains forestry rights (TD rights) details. This is part of Misal Hakiyat (Permanent Settlement).

Parat Patwar: Patwari has a copy of the new settlement record.

Parat Sarkar: Government Copy of the new settlement record.

Pattanama: Whenever a piece of land is given on lease for a long period, the mutation is known as Pattanama.

Patwari: A Village Accountant or Registrar (A Government Authority responsible for maintaining land ownership records).

Plot: Small segment of land covered with green vegetation.

Rabi: Spring Harvest.

Sabik: Former.

Sub-Division: A sub-division of a district.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate: In charge of a tehsildar.

Tabadala: Tabadla or mutation of exchange is the mutation when two owners decide to exchange their lands. It can Again be either verbal (through Roznamcha Waqaiti) or through the Registry. The details recorded are similar to those in the previous case i.e. either through Roznamcha Waqaiti entry or through Registry.

Taccavi: Loan granted by a Government to a landowner for agriculture purposes.

Takseem: Whenever there is a land division in a joint holding, the mutation is known as Takseem or Mutation of Partition. The partition can be verbal among the landowners or when the court directs the partition.

Tehsildar: In-charge of a tehsil.

Talathi: A Village Accountant or Registrar (Term used for Patwari in Maharashtra).

Waris: Successor.

Wasil Baqi Nawis: Revenue Accountant in the Tehsil.

Wattar: Diagonal Line.

Yard: Unit of measurement; 1 Yard = 0.9144 Meter.

Zamindar: Landowner.

Zone: Parts of a city or town are categorized into segments some of which may be reserved for a specific purpose such as green zones.

Zoning Map: A map indicating the different zonal regions.

Zoning Ordinance: Rules and regulations governing a particular zonal area.

Type of Land

• Abadi: Inhabited.
• Banjar: Not cultivated from four cropping seasons.
• Barani: Rain-fed.
• Chahi: Irrigated through wells/tubewells.
• Chahi Nahri: Irrigated partly from a well and partly from a canal.
• Gair Mumkin: Non-cultivable land.
• Nahri: Irrigated through Canals.

Type of Possession

• Aadrehan: mortgage without possession.
• Gair Dakhildar: Unauthorised permanent possessioner (pakkee mujahire).
• Gair Marusi: Unauthorised possessioner (Kache mujahire).
• Khud Kast: Self-cultivated (Cultivated by the owner himself).
• Rehan: a mortgage with possession.