Land Records Terminology in India

This commonly used land records terminology in India will help you in understanding land records properly.

Land & Revenue Records Terms used in India:

Aabi (आबी) – Land irrigated with means other than canal or well.
Abadi Deh (आबादी देह) – Inhabited Area of a village.
Ad-Rahin (आड रहन) – Mortgaged without possession.
Aks Shajra (अक्स शजरा) – Copy of Shajra.
Awwal/ Doyam/ Soyam (अव्वल, दोयम, सोयम) – Suppose A took loan from B and mortgaged the land to B then B is known as Mortgagee ’Awwal’. If B further takes loan from ’C’ after keeping the same mortgaged land as security, then C will be known as Mortgagee ’Doyam’. If C further mortgages the land taken from B to D then D will be referred to as Mortgagee ’Soyam’.
Ba Hukam Adalat (बाहुकम अदालत) – By order of court.
Badastur (बदस्तूर) – Unaltered, as it is.
Bahissa Barabar (बहिस्सा बराबर) – Equal division.
Bai (बैय) – Whenever a person sells his land either completely or partially, to another person, this type of mutation is known as Bai or Sale.
Banaam (बनाम) – in the name of.
Bandobast (बंदोबस्त) – Bandobast or Settlement is a comprehensive term that covers all aspects of land survey & measurement, preparation of revenue records and assessment of land revenue.
Banjar (बंजर) – Uncultivable land.
Banjar Jadid (बंजर जदीद) – New fallow. Land not cultivated for continuous four harvests though it was cultivated earlier.
Banjar Kadim (बंजर कदीम) – Old fallow. Land not cultivated for continuous eight harvests though it was cultivated earlier.
Barani (बरानी) – Dependent on rainfall.
Batai (बटाई) – Part/ Portion of harvest.
Baya (बाया) – Seller of land.
Bewa (बेवा) – Widow.
Billa (बिला) – Devoid of, without.
Chaharam (चहाराम) – One-fourth portion of harvest.
Chahi (चाही) – Irrigated from well.
Chahi Mustar (चाही मुस्तार) – Irrigated from purchased water.
Chahi Nahri (चाही नहरी) – Irrigated partly from a well and partly from canal.
Chak Tashkhish (चक तशखीश) – Land classification in a broader sense. If it is ’Parvati’ then it means that the village falls in mountainous area. In case if it is known, as ’Changar’ then it means that in the area in which village falls, irrigation is totally rain-fed. There are different land classifications based upon this land classification.
Chakautha (चकौता) – Land Revenue (Lagaan) in cash.
Dehinda (देहिन्दा) – Gift Giver.
Do Fasali (दो फसली) – Land which produces two crops per annum.
Dukhtar (दुखतर) – Daughter.
Fak-Ul-Rahin (Redemption deed of Mortgage) (फकुल रहन) – This type of mutation is reverse process of Rahin. Whenever a person who has mortgaged his land wants to get it back after paying dues to the mortgagee, the type of mutation is called Fak-ul-Rahin. It can be of two sub types. Verbal (through Roznamcha) or through Registry.
Fard (फर्द) – Jamabandi Nakal. A copy of land records of an individual or family containing name of owners, area of land, shares of owners and indicates cultivation, rent and revenue and other cesses payable on land.
Fard Badr (फर्द बदर) – To correct a mistake in the Revenue Records.
Field Book (फिल्ड बुक) – A book containing details of measurement of each field eg. Its length, breadth, diagonal detail and worked out total area.
Gair Marusi (गैर मौरूसी) – Unauthorised/ temporary tenant cultivator.
Gair Mumkin (गैर मुमकिन) – Uncultivable land.
Garv (गर्व) – West direction.
Gerinda (गेरिन्दा) – Gift Taker.
Girdawar/ Kanungo (गिरदावर/ कानूनगो) – Supervisor of Patwaris.
Girdawari – Harvest Inspection.
Gora Deh Bhumi (गोरा देह भूमि) – Land adjacent to a village.
Gosha (गोशा) – Corner.
Goth (गोत) – Gotra of family.
Haal (हाल) – Current, at present.
Hadbast (हदबस्त) – Serial Number of a village in a Tehsil.
Hadh (हद) – Seema.
Hamsheera (हमशीरा) – Sister.
Haqdar (हकदार) – Owner of land.
Hibba (हिब्बा) – A Gift, Present. Whenever a part of complete land is gifted to some person, the mutation is called Hibba or Gift.
Ikrarnama (इकरारनामा) – Mutual Agreement.
Intkal (इन्तकाल) – Mutation, recording change in ownership of land due to transfer by registered deed, inheritance, survivorship, bequest or lease, in the records of rights register of landholders as sanctioned by the revenue officer under his order or decision on a particular date.
Jadid (Completely Revised) Settlement (जदीद सनी) – Under this type of Settlement operation complete re-measurement is carried out with the help of survey equipment keeping in view the old Shajra and record.
Jadid (जदीद) – New.
Jalsa aam (जलसाआम) – A community gathering.
Jamaan (जमां) – Land Tax.
Jamabandi (जमाबन्दी) – Record of Rights (ROR) of a village. Jamabandi Register contains name of owners, area of land, shares of owners and other Rights. It also indicates cultivation, rent and revenue and other cesses payable on land.
Janib (जानिब) – Towards.
Janub (जनूब) – South direction.
Jinsavar (जिंसवार) – A headman’s list of the crops of a village.
Jwar (ज्वार) – A kind of millet – Sorghum Vulgare.
Kalan (कलां) – Big.
Kalar (कालर) – Barren Land (Sour Clay).
Kankoot/ Kan (कनकूत या कण) – Estimation of harvest produce.
Kanooni (Regular) Settlement (कानूनी सेटलमेंट) – The Regular Settlement is taken up where no previous record exists. On this Settlement, the complete measurement is done with the help of survey equipment and new record-of-rights is prepared for the first time.
Kanungo (कानूनगो) – Supervisor of Patwaris.
Karguzari (कारगुजारी) – Progress Report.
Kashtkar (कास्तकार) – Cultivator.
Khaka (खाका) – Layout, Sketch.
Khaka Dasti (खाक दस्ती) – Hand Sketch
Khali Saal Tamam (खाली साल तमाम) – Land not cultivated for whole year.
Kharaba (खराबा) – Portion of crop which has failed to come.
Kharif (खरीफ) – Autumn harvest.
Khasra (खसरा) – An area of land determined by a number called as survey number or khasra number in Land Records. Sometimes, Khasra Girdawari is also referred to as Khasra in short.
Khasra Girdawari (खसरा गिरदावरी) – Harvest Inspection Register that mentions land ownership, soil and crop details.
Khata (खाता) – All land holdings that belong to an individual/ family.
Khatauni (खतौनी) – A document mentioning details of all land holdings of an individual/ family which cultivates the land.
Khatauni Paimaish (खतौनी पैमाईश) – New Record of Right of land after bandobast/ chakbandi measurements.
Khewat (खेवट) – A list of an owner’s land holdings.
Khewat–Khatauni (खेवट-खतौनी) – A combined Khewat & Khatauni.
Khud Kasht (खुद काश्त) – Cultivated by the owner himself.
Khurd (खुर्द) – Small.
Khush Hasiyat (खुशहैसियत) – In good shape.
Kilabandi (किलाबंदी) – Rectangular Measurement of land.
Kism Zameen (किस्म जमीन) – Type of land.
Kurki (कुर्की) – Impounding a property.
Lagaan (लगान) – Revenue/ Tax collected from the Tenant Cultivator.
Lagaan-e-Bilmukta Saal Tamam (लगाने बिलमुक्ता साल तमाम) – Pre-determined Net Annual Land Tax/ Revenue.
Lal Kitab (लाल किताब) – Village Notebook, prepared at the time of settlement. The kitab has valuable information regarding crops grown in the estate, soil classification, area under different crops, land use, transfers in land, wells and other means of irrigation in the village and abstract of the livestock and cattle census in the village.
Lambardar (लंबरदार) – Village Headman.
Latha Girdawari (लत्ता गिरदावरी) – Cloth copy of the Patwari’s field Map.
Lavald (लावल्द) –
Mahaal (महाल) – Village.
Majkoor (मजकूर) – Current.
Malguzari (मालगुजारी) – Tax/ Levy on Land.
Malik (मालिक) – Land Owner.
Marusi (मौरूसी) – Permanent Tenant Cultivator who pays revenue to the land owner.
Mauza (मौजा) – Village.
Mauza Bechirag (मौजा बेचिराग) – Unpopulated Village.
Mend (मेण्ड) – Field Boundary.
Min (मिन) – Portion / Part.
Misal Haqiyat (मिसल हकियत) – Record-of-Right.
Mufasal Jamabandi (मुफसल जमाबन्दी) – Descriptive Jamabandi.
Mujaara (मुजारा) – Tenant Cultivator who pays revenue/ tax to the land owner.
Mukhtiarnama (मुख्तियारनामा) – License, Warrant.
Mukhtiarnama Aam (मुख्तियारनामा आम) – General License.
Mukhtiarnama Khaas (मुख्तियारनामा खास) – Special License.
Mundraza (मुन्द्रजा) – As written above, Ditto.
Murtahin (मुर्तहिन) – Mortgagee, loan provider for mortgaged land.
Musavi (मुसावी) – Original map, prepared for every revenue village at the time of settlement, showing position and boundaries of all fields.
Mustari (मुस्तरी) – Buyer of land.
Mutation (म्युटेशन) – Transfer or change of title in the land records of the revenue department for the concerned property.
Nahri (नहरी) – Irrigated from canal.
Naib-Tehsildar (नेब तहसीलदार) – The Deputy or Assistant of Tehsildar.
Nakal – A copy of land records of an individual or family containing name of owners, area of land, shares of owners and indicates cultivation, rent and revenue and other cesses payable on land.
Nautaud (नौतौड) – Making uncultivable land cultivable.
Neelaam (नीलाम) – To sell through auction.
Nisafi (निसफी) – One-half portion of harvest.
Nambardar (नंबरदार) – Village Headman.
Paimaish (पैमाईश) – Land Measurement.
Paimana Pital (पैमाना पीतल) – Brass Scale used to draw Musavi.
Panj Duvanji (पंज दुवंजी) – Two-fifth portion of harvest.
Parat Patwar (पडत पटवार) – Patwari copy of the new settlement record.
Parat Sarkar (पडत सरकार) – Government Copy of the new settlement record.
Pattanama (पट्टानामा) – Lease Deed. Whenever a piece of land is given on lease for a long period, the mutation is known as Pattanama.
Patti/ Taraf/ Thola/ Panna (पत्ती/ तरफ/ ठोला/ पाना) – A community of Villagers based on clans, caste, sect, area etc.
Patwari (पटवारी) – A Village Accountant or Registrar responsible for preparation of revenue records. He measures land on the ground and prepares all the prescribed record, which is checked, verified and made final by higher officials.
Pisar Mutbanna (पिसल मुतबन्ना) – Adopted Son.
Pisar/ Wald (पिसर या वल्द) – Son.
Rabi (रबी) – Spring Harvest.
Rahin (रहन) – Mortgagor, one who mortgages his land. Whenever a land is mortgaged, completely or partially, to another person or party, mutation is of Rahin type. The deal can be either verbal or through Registry. The land can be mortgaged with or without possession.
Rahin Bakabza (रहन बाकब्जा) – Mortgaged with possession.
Rapat (रपट) – Mutation. Any entry regarding sale purchase or transfer of land.
Saalana (सालना) – Annual.
Sabik (साबिक) – Former, previous.
Sakunat (सकूनत) – Place of Residence.
Salam (सलम) – Completely
Settlement (सेटलमेंट) – Settlement is a comprehensive term that covers all aspects of land survey & measurement, preparation of revenue records and assessment of land revenue.
Shajra (शजरा) – A Detailed Village Map that shows all fields with their khasra numbers and boundaries.
Shajra Kishtwar (शजरा किश्तवार) – An updated version of Musavi is called as Shajra Kishtwar. It is drawn up on a tracing cloth or tracing paper and is used by Patwari on day-to-day basis to update all changes in field boundaries occurring due to partition, sale etc.
Shajra Nasab (शजरा नसब) – A pedigree genealogical table showing succession to ownership rights occurring from time to time in an estate.
Shajra Parcha (शजरा परचा) – A piece of cloth on which the village map is drawn showing the position and boundaries of every field.
Shamlat (शामलात ठोला) – Shamlat land that belongs to a thola in a Village.
Shamlat (शामलात) – A land that belongs to a group or a community.
Shamlat Deh (शामलात देह) – Shamlat land that belongs to the Village.
Shamlat Panna (शामलात पाना) – Shamlat land that belongs to a Panna in a Village.
Shamlat Patti (शामलात पत्ती) – Shamlat land that belongs to a Patti in a Village.
Shark (शर्क) – East direction.
Shumal (शुमाल) – North Direction.
Sub-Division (सब डिवीज़न) – A sub division of a district.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (सब डिविज़नल मजिस्ट्रेट) – In-charge of a Sub-Division in a district.
Summary Settlement (समरी सेटलमेंट) – This type of Settlement is resorted to a temporary measure for a short period without the help of survey equipment. Only a KHAKA DASTI (Hand Sketch) is prepared till the regular Settlement is carried out. No presumption of truth is attached to a summary Settlement.
Tabadala (तबादला) – Tabadla or mutation of exchange is the mutation, when two owners decide to exchange their lands. It can Again be either verbal (through Roznamcha Waqaiti) or through Registry.
Tabdeel Malkiat (तब्दील मलकियत) – This type of mutation is carried out after the settlement of dispute by some court. This is also known as decree by court (Ba Hukam Adalat).
Taccavi (तक्कावी) – Loan granted by a Government to landowner for agriculture purposes.
Takseem (तकसीम) – Whenever there is a division of land in a joint holding, the mutation is known as Takseem or Mutation of Partition. The partition can be verbal among landowners or when court directs the partition.
Takseem Khanagi (तकसीम खानगी) – Partition of land by the family.
Taksim Ba Hukam Adalat (तकसीम बाहुकम अदालत) – Partition of land by order of court.
Tarmeem (Revised) Settlement (तरमीम सेटलमेंट) – Under this type of Settlement only amendments are carried out without resorting to any measurement.
Tarmeem (तरमीम) – Amendment, Revision.
Tatima (ततीमा) – Division of Plots.
Tatima Shajra (ततीमा शजरा) – Map prepared after division of plots, showing separate plots.
Teen Chaharam (तीन चहाराम) – Three-fourth portion of harvest.
Tehsildar (तहसीलदार) – In-charge of a tehsil.
Tihai (तिहाई) – One-third portion of harvest.
Varsal (वरसाल) – A type of Mutation caused by either death or will of a person.
Virasat (विरासत) – Inheritance.
Waldiyat (वल्दीयत) – Father’s Name.
Walid (वालिद) – Father.
Walida (वालदा) – Mother.
Waris (वारिस) – Heir.
Wasil Baqi Nawis (वासल वाकी नवीस) – Revenue Accountant in the Tehsil.
Wattar (वत्तर) – Diagonal Line.
Zamindar (ज़मींदार) – Land Owner.

Also check out our Land Records Guide.