What is a bigha?
The bigha is a traditional unit of land area used across north, east and west India, as well as in Nepal and Bangladesh. It developed locally, long before land was measured in acres and hectares, so each region settled on its own size. That is why “10 bigha” in Uttar Pradesh is a very different piece of land from “10 bigha” in Assam.
1 bigha in different states
The commonly quoted sizes below are the defaults in the converter. They match figures published in bank and housing finance guides, and you can override them in the tool if your district uses a different value.
| State | 1 bigha (sq ft) | 1 bigha (acre) | 1 acre (bigha) |
|---|
One acre is a fixed international unit: 43,560 square feet, or about 4,046.86 square metres. Dividing a state's bigha by 43,560 gives the acre value.
Rajasthan: pucca and kachcha bigha
Rajasthan uses two sizes. The pucca bigha is about 27,225 sq ft and the kachcha bigha is about 17,424 sq ft. Land records usually specify which one applies. If the paperwork just says “bigha”, ask the patwari or check the record of rights before converting.
How to convert bigha to acre by hand
- Find your bigha size in square feet from the table, or from your land record.
- Multiply by the number of bigha. For 5 bigha in Uttar Pradesh: 5 × 27,000 = 135,000 sq ft.
- Divide by 43,560. 135,000 ÷ 43,560 = 3.10 acres.
To go the other way, multiply acres by 43,560 and divide by your bigha size.
Quick conversions for Uttar Pradesh (27,000 sq ft bigha)
| Bigha | Square feet | Acres | Hectares |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27,000 | 0.620 | 0.251 |
| 5 | 135,000 | 3.099 | 1.254 |
| 10 | 270,000 | 6.198 | 2.508 |
| 25 | 675,000 | 15.496 | 6.271 |
| 100 | 2,700,000 | 61.983 | 25.084 |
For any other state, choose it in the converter and the results change instantly.
Before buying land measured in bigha
- Ask for the area in square metres or hectares from the official record, not only in bigha.
- Compare price per square foot or per acre when two sellers quote prices per bigha from different areas.
- Get the plot measured by a licensed surveyor if boundaries are not marked.
- Check which bigha the seller means, especially in Rajasthan, where pucca and kachcha bigha differ by about 56%.
Related units: biswa, katha and dhur
- Biswa: in much of north India, 1 bigha = 20 biswa.
- Katha: used in Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and Jharkhand. In West Bengal, 1 bigha is commonly 20 katha; relations vary elsewhere.
- Dhur: a smaller unit used in Bihar and parts of eastern India; 20 dhur make 1 katha in many areas.
Because these sub-units also vary, the converter focuses on bigha and fixed international units. Check local relations with your revenue office.
Working with land in Pakistan instead? Our marla to square feet calculator handles marla, kanal and acres with the same state-style size choice.
Checking official land records
Most states now publish land records online, often under a Bhulekh or similar portal, as part of the Department of Land Resources land records modernisation programme. These records usually state area in hectares or acres, which avoids any confusion about the local bigha size.
Frequently asked questions
How many acres are in 1 bigha?
It depends on the state. In Uttar Pradesh, about 0.62 acre; in West Bengal and Assam, about 0.33 acre; in Gujarat, about 0.40 acre; in Himachal Pradesh, 0.20 acre.
How many bigha are in 1 acre?
About 1.61 bigha in Uttar Pradesh, about 3.03 bigha in West Bengal and Assam, 2.5 bigha in Gujarat, and 5 bigha in Himachal Pradesh, using the sizes in this converter.
How many square feet are in 1 bigha in UP?
A commonly used figure is 27,000 sq ft, but local variations exist. Check your khatauni for the official area.
Why is bigha different in every state?
The bigha is a traditional local unit that developed separately in each region, so there was never one national standard.
Can I enter my own bigha size?
Yes. Choose any state and change the “1 bigha =” box, or pick “Custom”, and every result updates.