Because a bigha differs by state, so does a biswa: 1,350 sq ft in Uttar Pradesh (27,000 ÷ 20), 1,361.25 sq ft in Rajasthan and Haryana.
Example
A Lucknow colony plot
A seller in Lucknow offers a 5 biswa plot. On Uttar Pradesh’s 27,000 sq ft bigha, one biswa is 1,350 sq ft, so the plot is 6,750 sq ft — 750 gaj. At ₹30,000 per gaj that is ₹2.25 crore. The same “5 biswa” in Rajasthan, on the 27,225 sq ft pucca bigha, would be about 6,806 sq ft.
Figures are illustrative, not market rates.
Across India
- Uttar Pradesh: 20 biswa make a bigha and each biswa is split into 20 biswansi (about 67.5 sq ft).
- Rajasthan and Haryana: a biswa is one-twentieth of the local bigha, about 1,361.25 sq ft on the 27,225 sq ft bigha.
- Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand: the bigha is smaller, so a biswa there is only a few hundred square feet.
Questions about Biswa
How many square feet is one biswa?
It depends on the state’s bigha. In Uttar Pradesh one biswa is 1,350 sq ft, in Rajasthan and Haryana about 1,361 sq ft, and in hill states much less. Divide the local bigha by 20 to get the biswa, and confirm the figure with the tehsil or land record.
What is a biswansi?
In Uttar Pradesh and nearby areas, a biswa is divided into 20 biswansi. With a 1,350 sq ft biswa, one biswansi is about 67.5 sq ft. The unit appears in older records and small plot sales, so it helps to convert it to square feet or gaj before comparing prices.
Is biswa used in land records?
Older revenue records in north India often show areas in bigha, biswa and biswansi. Newer digitised records usually give hectares as well. When the two do not match, rely on the area recorded in hectares and ask the revenue office to explain the difference.
Sources
- UP Bhulekh — Uttar Pradesh land records · accessed
See also
Reviewed