Study Guides/Maths/1 Pavan and 1 Tola in Grams
Study Guide · Maths

1 Pavan and 1 Tola — Weight in Grams

1 Pavan = 8 grams (used in Kerala and South India for gold). 1 Tola = 11.664 grams (used in North India and banking). These are traditional Indian gold weight units still widely used in jewellery markets.

Question (Click to Flip)

Why does Kerala use 'pavan' instead of grams?

Answer

Pavan (8g) was the historical standard weight of a British gold sovereign coin. Kerala's gold trade adopted this unit centuries ago through maritime commerce, and it persists as a cultural convention even after metric standardization.

Card 1 of 1 free previews

Key Facts

The word 'Tola' comes from Sanskrit 'tula' meaning weighing scale/balance. The British colonial government standardized 1 tola = 180 grains (troy) = 11.664 grams for official use in British India.

1 Pavan in Grams

1 Pavan = 8 grams

The pavan (also written as 'pavun' or 'sovereign') is the standard gold measurement unit used in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and other South Indian states.

  • 1 Pavan = 8 grams of gold
  • ½ Pavan = 4 grams
  • ¼ Pavan = 2 grams
  • 10 Pavan = 80 grams

Gold jewellery in Kerala is universally priced per pavan. When you see newspaper gold rate headlines like 'Gold today: ₹45,000 per pavan', it means the price for 8 grams.

1 Tola in Grams

1 Tola = 11.664 grams

The tola is the traditional gold measurement unit used in North India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. It was historically used in the British Indian banking system.

  • 1 Tola = 11.664 grams
  • 1 Tola = 0.375 troy ounces
  • 10 Tola = 116.64 grams (= approximately 100 grams + 16.64 g)

The Reserve Bank of India and international banks used tola as the standard gold trading unit until metric weights were adopted.

Comparison with Other Gold Units

UnitGramsUsed In
1 Pavan8 gKerala, Tamil Nadu
1 Tola11.664 gNorth India
1 Troy Ounce31.103 gInternational
1 Gram1 gModern standard
10 grams10 gCommon in India

Questions and Answers

Why does Kerala use 'pavan' instead of grams?+

Pavan (8g) was the historical standard weight of a British gold sovereign coin. Kerala's gold trade adopted this unit centuries ago through maritime commerce, and it persists as a cultural convention even after metric standardization.

More in Maths

Study Smarter with Shinyu.ai

Turn this guide into revision flashcards, a practice exam, or an AI-generated podcast — free, no signup required.