Glossary

Kerala land & survey glossary

Plain-language meanings for the words on your Thandaper and village map / FMB sketch, what each one is, and which of them you actually need before joining your sheets.

Thandaperതണ്ടപ്പേർ

The land-holding account number assigned to a holder in a village, every parcel they hold there is listed under it. It is how Kerala's revenue records identify a person's holding, and it is what land tax is paid against.

Basic Tax RegisterBTR

The village register recording each survey number, its extent, its classification and the basic tax on it. The reference the Village Office works from when issuing extracts or checking an extent.

Pokkuvaravuപോക്കുവരവ്

Mutation: transferring a holding into the buyer's or heir's name in the revenue record after registration. Until it is done the record still shows the previous holder, so completing it is the step that finishes a purchase.

Re-survey number

The parcel number from Kerala's re-survey, which replaced the older settlement survey numbers in areas where it has been completed. Documents can carry either, and matching an old survey number to its re-survey number is a common step before anything else.

e-Rekha

The survey department's map service, from which cadastral and FMB sketches are issued. Where the village map sheets for a survey number are obtained.

FMB sketchFMB

The Field Measurement Book sketch for a survey number, showing its surveyed boundaries and measurements. One sketch per number, so a holding spread across several needs them assembled to be seen whole.

Village Officer

The revenue officer in charge of a village, who maintains the BTR and Thandaper records and issues the certificates most transactions need: possession, location and land tax receipts among them.

Possession Certificate

A certificate from the Village Officer confirming who is in possession of a specified survey number. Commonly required for loans and for registration alongside the title documents.

Location Sketch

A sketch showing where a parcel sits in relation to its neighbours and access, issued by the Village Office. It answers 'where is this' rather than 'what are its measured boundaries', which is the FMB sketch's job.

Land Tax receiptകരം

The receipt for basic land tax paid against a Thandaper account, commonly called 'kara'. Kept up to date because a current receipt is asked for in most transactions as evidence the holding is live in the record.

Ente Bhoomi

The state's integrated land-records portal, bringing revenue and survey records together in one place. Which services are live varies by district, so check what your village office is issuing before relying on a download.

Village mapവില്ലേജ് മാപ്പ്

The cadastral map of a revenue village showing survey numbers and their boundaries, issued as adjacent sheets. Joining the sheets is what turns a set of part-views into one map of the whole holding.

The full Kerala guide · Tamil Nadu's glossary