Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive c10.9306

c10.9306

The values of the *man* as weight, even in modern times, have varied immensely, *i.e.* from little more than 2 lbs. to upwards of 160. The ‘Indian Maund,’ which is the standard of weight in British India, is of 40 *sers*, each *ser* being divided into 16 *chhitāks*; and this is the general scale of subdivision in the local weights of Bengal, and Upper and Central India, though the value of the *ser* varies. That of the standard *ser* is 80 *tolas* (q.v.) or rupee-weights, and thus the *maund* = 82 2/7 lbs. avoirdupois. The Bombay *maund* (or *man*) of 48 *sers* = 28 lbs.; the Madras one of 40 *sers* = 25 lbs. The Palloda *man* of Ahmadnagar contained 64 *sers*, and was = 163 1/4 lbs. This is the largest *man* we find in the ‘Useful Tables.’ The smallest Indian *man* again is that of Colachy in Travancore, and that = 18 lbs. 12 oz. 13 dr. The Persian *Tabrīzi man* is, however, a little less than 7 lbs.; the *man shāhī* twice that; the smallest of all on the list named is the Jeddah *man* = 2 lbs. 3 oz. 9 1/4 dr.