The kos (Hindi: कोस), also spelled coss, koss, kosh, koh(in Punjabi), krosh, and krosha, is a unit of measurement which is derived from a Sanskrit term, क्रोशkrośa, which means a 'call', as the unit was supposed to represent the distance at which another human could be heard. It is an ancient Indian subcontinental standard unit of distance, in use since at least 4 BCE. According to the Arthashastra, a krośa or kos is about 3,000 metres (9,800 ft).[1]
Another conversion is based on the Mughal emperor Akbar, who standardized the unit to 5000 guz in the Ain-i-Akbari. The British in India standardized Akbar's guz to 33 inches (840 mm), making the kos approximately 4,191 metres (13,750 ft).[2] Another conversion suggested a kos to be approximately 2 English miles.[3]
Arthashastra Standard units
The "Arthashastra: Chapter XX. "Measurement of space and time", authored in 4th century BC by Chanakya (Vishnugupta Kauṭilya), sets this standard breakup of Indian units of length:[4][better source needed][5]
1 angul (approximate width of a finger) = approx. 3⁄4 of an inch (19 mm)[citation needed]
8 angul = 1 dhanurmushti (fist with thumb raised) = 6 inches (150 mm)[citation needed]
12 angul = 1 vitastaa (span-distance of stretched out palm between the tips of a person's thumb and the little finger) = 9 inches (230 mm)[citation needed]
2 vitastaa (from the tip of the elbow to the tip of the middle finger) = 1 aratni or hast (cubit or haath) = 18 inches (460 mm)[citation needed]
Evidence of official usage exists from the Vedic period to the Mughal era. Elderly people in many rural areas of the Indian subcontinent still refer to distances from nearby areas in kos. Most Hindu religious Parikrama circuits are measured in kos, such as 48 kos parikrama of Kurukshetra. Along India's old highways, particularly the Grand Trunk Road, one still finds 16th to early 18th century Kos Minars, or mile markers, erected at distances of a little over two miles.[8]
KOS Kos Kos (surname) Koš Kos International Airport Daily Kos Gojmir Anton Kos Kos (unit) Károly Kós Jonathan Kos-Read Paul Kos Prípad Barnabáš Kos Zdeněk Kos Rudolph Kos Tomáš Kos Massacre of Kos Milko Kos Battle of Kos Stephen Kós Hubert Kós Kos (regional unit) Józef Kos Joke Kos René Kos Anatoliy Kos-Anatolsky Božo Kos Nicias of Kos Matevž Kos 48 kos parikrama Erih Koš Aero A.34 Kos Mile Kos Vladimír Kos Kos Minar Dikaios, Kos Birgit Kos KOS Media Monika Kos Vinko Kos Lovro Kos Janko Kos KOS-MOS Wim Kos Defterdar Mosque (Kos) Tomasz Kos Kos (disambiguation) Josef Kos Maja K…
os Mirko Kos Evelina Kos Epicharmus of Kos Marlene Kos Jordan Kos Joanna Kos-Krauze Ćiril Kos Nemanja Kos 1933 Kos earthquake Kos Manor Greek ship Kos Marjeta Šašel Kos Kos (village) Kos Gina Mistake 2017 Aegean Sea earthquake PZL-102 Kos Global kOS St. Andrew's chapel in Kos (Slovakia) Counterintelligence Service (Yugoslavia) Milko Kos Historical Institute Chernia kos Tim Rollins and K.O.S. Asha-Kos Mohamud Omar KØS Museum of art in public spaces Kos Samaras 2009 Zucchetti Kos Tennis Cup Netroots Nation Arthur V. Dias 2012 Zucchetti Kos Tennis Cup 2010 Zucchetti Kos Tennis Cup 2011 Zucchetti Kos Tennis Cup KeyKOS Internazionali di Tennis del Friuli Venezia Giulia Basketball Zweite Liga Hippocrates Apelles USS Whitfield County 2012 Zucchetti Kos Tennis Cup – Doubles 2009 Zucchetti Kos Tennis Cup – Doubles 2010 Zucchetti Kos Tennis Cup – Doubles 2011 Zucchetti Kos Tennis Cup – Doubles 2009 Zucchetti Kos Tennis Cup – Singles 2010 Zucchetti Kos Tennis Cup – Singles 2012 Zucchetti Kos Tennis Cup – Singles 2011 Zucchetti Kos Tennis Cup – Singles Kossi Province Koas Krala district Kosraean language Security Directorate (FR Yugoslavia) Exit (k-os album) Miss Earth 2013