On this page
The short answer
In Odisha land records, a mouza is the revenue village, a khata is a holding in that village, and the khatian or Record of Rights lists its holders, plots, area and kisam (land class). Sabik means the old settlement number and hal the current one. Words like gochar, rakhita or anabadi point to government land that cannot be privately sold.
How to use this glossary
Odisha land records use a mix of Odia, Persian-origin and English words. This page explains the terms you meet on Bhulekh, in an RoR printout, in old deeds and at the Tahasil. For a walk-through of the record itself, see the Record of Rights guide. Spellings vary between records (khatian, khatiyan; tahasil, tehsil), so search for both.
Places, offices and records
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Mouza ମୌଜା | A revenue village: the basic unit in which land is surveyed and recorded. Bhulekh searches start with district, tahasil and then mouza. A mouza name may differ from the name of the settlement people use locally. |
| Tahasil ତହସିଲ | The revenue office for a group of RI circles, headed by the Tahasildar (with Additional Tahasildars). Mutation, conversion, legal heir certificates and certified copies of land records are handled here. |
| RI circle | The area under a Revenue Inspector, who makes field enquiries and reports to the Tahasildar in mutation, conversion and encroachment cases. |
| Khata ଖାତା | A holding: all the land in one mouza recorded under the same holder or group of holders, identified by a khata number. One khata can have many plots. |
| Khatian ଖତିୟାନ | The Record of Rights page for a khata, showing the holders, their status, plots, areas, kisam, rent and remarks. Often used to mean the RoR itself. |
| Record of Rights (RoR) ଅଧିକାର ଅଭିଲେଖ | The official land record (adhikar abhilekh) prepared at settlement and kept current through mutation. Strong evidence of possession and character of the land, but not a title deed. See the RoR guide. |
| Plot | A single parcel of land shown on the village map with a plot number. Other states may call this a survey number or khasra number; Odisha records use plot numbers. |
| Sabik ସାବିକ | Old or former: the khata or plot number, area or entry in an earlier settlement. Deeds executed before the current settlement usually describe land by sabik numbers. |
| Hal ହାଲ | Current: the khata or plot number in the latest settlement. A sabik-hal comparison is how an old deed is matched to today's record. |
| Settlement | Survey and settlement operations under the Odisha Survey and Settlement Act, 1958, in which land is measured and a fresh RoR is prepared and finally published for each mouza. |
| Mutation (namantarana) ନାମାନ୍ତରଣ | Changing the RoR after a sale, gift, inheritance, partition or decree so that the new holder is recorded. A revenue entry, not proof of title. |
| Bhulekh ଭୂଲେଖ | The state's land records portal (bhulekh.ori.nic.in) to view RoRs, plot details and village maps. |
| Jamabandi ଜମାବନ୍ଦୀ | The Tahasil's register of holdings and the land revenue (rent) assessed on each, used to raise and record rent demands. |
| Khajana ଖଜଣା | Land revenue or rent payable on a holding. Receipts in the holder's name are routinely asked for in mutation, conversion and registration. It can be paid online through the state's e-Pauti service. |
| Patta ପଟ୍ଟା | A document issued by the government granting or settling land, for example a lease of government land to a landless person. It carries the conditions of the grant, which may restrict transfer. |
| Raiyat ରୟତ | A person who holds land for agriculture with the rights of a tenant under the state, as the Odisha Land Reforms Act uses the word. Most private agricultural land is held by raiyats. |
| Rayati ରୟତି | Land held by a raiyat, as distinct from government land. |
| Sthitiban ସ୍ଥିତିବାନ | A status often written in the RoR for a holder with settled, heritable and transferable rights in the land. |
| Sikimi | An under-raiyat, a person holding land under a raiyat rather than directly under the state. Older records may show such entries. |
| Bhagachasi | A sharecropper who cultivates another's land for a share of the crop. Sharecropping claims can affect possession and need care when buying. |
| Chaka | A consolidated block of land allotted under the Odisha Consolidation of Holdings and Prevention of Fragmentation of Land Act, 1972. In consolidation areas the record may show chaka numbers. |
| Amin ଆମିନ | A government surveyor who measures and demarcates land on the ground against the village map. |
| Kabala | A common word for a sale deed in everyday Odisha usage. Legally, a sale needs a registered deed. |
Government land words
These matter most when checking whether land can be bought, converted or built on. If any of these appears in the RoR for the plot, pause and check the position before paying any money.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Government khatas | Land of the state is recorded in separate khatas, for example Abada Jogya Anabadi (cultivable waste that can be settled), Abada Ajogya Anabadi (land not fit for cultivation), Rakhita (reserved, such as grazing ground or roads) and Sarbasadharana (for common public use). Private sale of such land is not valid. |
| Anabadi | Unoccupied, unsettled land, typically government land not allotted to anyone. |
| Abadi | Inhabited or settled land, such as the village habitation area. Contrast anabadi. |
| Gochar ଗୋଚର | Village grazing ground, recorded as reserved government land. Settlement or conversion of gochar is tightly restricted, and buildings on it are open to eviction under the Odisha Prevention of Land Encroachment Act, 1972. |
Common kisams (land classes)
The kisam column says how the land is classified. Names and grades vary from one settlement to another, so read the kisam with the RoR's own legend and ask the Tahasil if unsure. Using agricultural land for building generally needs conversion under Section 8-A of the OLR Act; see land conversion in Odisha.
| Kisam often seen | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sarad (Sarada) | Paddy land cultivated in the main (kharif) season. Often subdivided by grade, for example Sarad I, II, III. |
| Bahal / Berna / Taila (Atha) | Low, medium and upland agricultural land respectively, used in many settlements to grade fields by level and moisture. |
| Dofasali | Land that yields two crops a year. |
| Jalasechita | Irrigated land. |
| Bagayat | Garden or orchard land. |
| Gharabari | Homestead: land under or around a house. Building is in line with this kisam, subject to planning approval. |
| Patita | Fallow land. |
| Pokhari, Nala, Bandha | Pond, channel or drain, and embankment or tank bund. |
| Rasta | Road or path. |
| Smasana | Cremation or burial ground. |
| Jungle, Pahada | Forest or scrub land, and hill land. Forest-type entries can attract forest laws as well. |
Documents and procedures
- Registered deed
- A sale, gift, exchange, partition or settlement deed registered at the Sub-Registrar's office. Sale and gift of immovable property need registration. See registering a sale or gift deed.
- Encumbrance certificate (EC)
- A certificate from the registration office listing registered transactions on a property for a period. See the EC guide.
- Benchmark value
- The market value fixed by the district valuation committee for land in each area and kisam, used for stamp duty.
- Conversion (8-A)
- Permission under Section 8-A of the Odisha Land Reforms Act, 1960 to use agricultural land for other purposes, followed by a change of kisam.
- Legal heir certificate
- A certificate from the Tahasildar naming the heirs of a deceased person. See the legal heir certificate guide.
- Demarcation
- Measurement of a plot on the ground by the amin or RI against the village map, to fix its boundaries.
- Certified copy
- A copy of a record or registered deed certified by the office that holds it, used in courts and banks.
- Revenue court
- A revenue officer (Tahasildar, Sub-Collector, Collector, RDC or Board of Revenue) deciding cases under land laws. See revenue courts in Odisha.
Reading a term in context
Three examples of how these words come together:
- "Sabik khata 112, plot 340; hal khata 87, plot 512": the land was plot 340 in the earlier settlement and is plot 512 in the current one. A deed from before the current settlement will use the sabik numbers.
- "Status: sthitiban; kisam: sarad II": privately held agricultural paddy land. Building on it needs conversion.
- "Khata: Abada Jogya Anabadi": government land. A private "sale" of such land does not pass title, whatever the deed says.
When a word in your record is not listed here, ask the Tahasil or RI office what it means in that settlement before relying on it. For checks before a purchase, use the land-buying checklist; for transfers after a death, see mutation in Odisha.
Related work handled is described under land and property.
Odia terms used in this guide
| Odia | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ଖାତା | khata | holding |
| ଖତିୟାନ | khatiana | Record of Rights page for a khata |
| କିସମ | kisam | land classification |
| ମୌଜା | mouza | revenue village |
| ନାମାନ୍ତରଣ | namantarana | mutation |
| ଗୋଚର | gochara | grazing ground |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between khata and plot in Odisha?
A khata is a holding recorded under one holder or group of holders in a mouza. A plot is a single parcel on the village map. One khata can contain several plots.
What does sabik and hal mean in Odisha land records?
Sabik refers to the khata or plot number in the earlier settlement; hal refers to the number in the current settlement. Old deeds usually use sabik numbers.
What is kisam in Odisha land records?
The land classification shown in the RoR, such as sarad (paddy land), gharabari (homestead) or bagayat (orchard). It decides whether conversion is needed before building.
Can I buy gochar or anabadi land in Odisha?
Gochar and anabadi entries indicate government land. A private sale of such land does not pass title, and buildings on it are open to eviction proceedings.
What does sthitiban mean in an Odisha RoR?
It is a status recorded for a holder with settled, heritable and transferable rights in the land.
Official sources
- Bhulekh: Odisha land records (Revenue & Disaster Management Department)
- Revenue & Disaster Management Department, Odisha
- Odisha Survey and Settlement Act, 1958 and Odisha Land Reforms Act, 1960 (India Code)
- IGR Odisha portal
General information, not legal advice. Every matter turns on its own facts and documents, and the law and official procedures change. Check the current position with the concerned office, or take advice on your own facts, before acting.