Gold is measured using different units across India. While grams are the standard unit in most financial institutions and for jewellery, traditional units like pavan and savaran are still used. Households in Southern India, particularly in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, use pavans over grams when discussing gold jewellery.
Understanding the pavan to grams conversion can help you compare gold prices, estimate the value of your jewellery and understand how much gold loan you are eligible for.
What Does Pavan Mean in Gold?
A pavan or pawan is a traditional unit of mass measurement used primarily across South India to buy or discuss gold jewellery. Historically, it is linked to Kerala’s gold trade and the British gold sovereign coin introduced during the colonial era. The term became a staple unit of measuring jewellery weight, wedding gifts and family gold holdings.
While most modern shops and gold loan lenders use metric values, local markets and families still use pavan to describe the weight of chains, bangles and coins. Understanding the conversion between pavan and grams is important when comparing gold prices quoted per gram with the value of jewellery measured in pavans.
What is 1 Pavan Equal to in Grams?
The standard conversion of 1 pavan to grams is straightforward: 1 pavan = 8 grams.
To convert pavans into grams, multiply the number of pavans by 8.
For example, for 2 pavans of gold, the weight in grams will be: 2 pavans × 8 = 16 grams.
Pavan vs Savaran Gold
New buyers can be confused between 1 pavan and 1 savaran. In practice, they refer to the same weight, but there are some other fundamental differences:
MeasurementPavanSavaran
Equivalent Weight8 Grams8 Grams
OriginDerived from the British gold “Sovereign”Tamil adaptation of “Sovereign”
Primary RegionPredominantly used in KeralaPredominantly used in Tamil Nadu
Usage ContextLocal jewellers and gold loansLocal jewellers and gold loans
How Pavan Affects Your Gold Loan Amount
When applying for a gold loan, financial institutions do not calculate the jewellery’s eligibility in informal units. Instead, they convert the jewellery’s weight into grams and assess the gold's purity to determine the loan amount. Here is how the pavan weight is used to determine the loan eligibility for any gold loan.
- Metric Weight Determination: The jewellery is weighed on precision-calibrated digital scales. For 5 pavans of gold, the scale shows a gross weight of 40 grams.
- Deduct Non-Gold Weight: The weight of stones, synthetic gems or non-gold alloys is deducted.
- Purity Value: The net weight of the gold is calculated based on its purity.
- Market Rate Calculation: The net weight of the gold in grams is multiplied by the current market rate. You can estimate the gold value with Manappuram’s gold loan per gram online tool.
- Regulatory LTV Cap: Under RBI directives, the maximum loan-to-value (LTV) ratio for gold loans is capped at 75% of the assessed market value.
For example, if you pledge 2 pavans of 22K gold, and the current market value is ₹6,500 per gram:
- Total Market Value = 16 grams × ₹6,500 = ₹1,04,000
- Maximum eligible loan value (75% of LTV) = ₹1,04,000 × 0.75 = ₹78,000
*Terms and conditions applied