Tamil units of measurement


The Tamil units of measurement is a system of measurements that was traditionally used in ancient Tamil-speaking South India.
These ancient measurement systems spanned systems of counting, distances, volumes, time, weight as well as tools used to do so. While modern India uses the metric system International System of Units, some of these older day measurement systems, especially those of counting, are still used today.
Other units that have persisted are those of area – the 'ma' and the ‘ground’, both used to measure land and the ‘molam’ which has been relegated to measuring the length of a sandanam garland sold on streets.
There are several similarities between the measurement system used in Tamil Nadu and that used by the Indus Valley civilisation. Recent excavation studies from Keezhadi reveal existence of an older non-vedic civilisation in Tamil Nadu. New discovery suggest possibilities of source of ancient Indian mathematicians in Tamil Nadu.

Units of time in ancient Tamil history

In Jaffna, Sri Lanka For House property
Varaku Culture
Paddy Culture

Balance weights

Thanga edaihal

The above is not in line with South Indian Inscriptions.
2 kuṉṟima குன்றிமணி = 1 māñcāḍi மஞ்சாடி
20 māñcāḍi மஞ்சாடி = 1 kaḻañcu கழஞ்சு
Ceylon Currency and Coins by H W Codrington page 10 too agrees with 20 māñcāḍi = 1 kaḻañcu.

Porutkal yedaihal

1 padi = 1800 avarai pods = 12,800 miḷagu seeds = 14,400 nel grains = 14,800 payaṟu grains = 38,000 arisi grains = 115,200 sesame ellu seeds

Fluid volume

Likeness has attributes of tone, sound, colour and shape for comparison of a given substance with a known standard.

Whole numbers

The following are the traditional numbers of the Ancient Tamil Country, Tamizhakam.
Rank10110210310410510610910121015101810201021
Wordsபத்துநூறுஆயிரம்பத்தாயிரம்நூறாயிரம்மெய்யிரம்தொள்ளுண்ஈகியம்நெளைஇளஞ்சிவெள்ளம்ஆம்பல்
Character௰௱௲௰௲௱௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௱௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲
Readingpathunūruāyirampattāyiramnūraiyirammeiyyiramtollunīkiyamneļaiiļañciveļļamāmpal

Tamil texts also elaborate the following sanskritized version :
Malaysian text elaborates the following version
சிறுபொழுது

1. காலை : 6 am-10 am

2. நண்பகல் : 10 am-2 pm

3. எற்பாடு : 2 pm-6 pm

4. மாலை : 6 pm-10 pm

5. இடையாமம் : 10 pm-2 am

6. வைகறை : 2 am-6 am

Divisions of the Year

பெரும்பொழுது
1. இளவேனில் : சித்திரை, வைகாசி

2. முதுவேனில் :ஆனி, ஆடி

3. கார்காலம் : ஆவணி, புரட்டாசி

4. குளிர்காலம் : ஐப்பசி,கார்த்திகை

5. முன்பனிக் காலம்: மார்கழி, தை

6. பின்பனிக் காலம் : மாசி, பங்குனி