Wajan Kanta / Wajan Kata / Dharam Kata / Dharam Kanta are all different names given to weighing scales in different languages.
Wajan Kata or Wajan Kanta usually refers to a smaller mechanical or a Table top scale that shop keepers use in their shops or on their Pheri to weigh the products and give to the customers. The different types of Wajan Kanta / Wajan Katas are
Electronic Table Top Weighing Scales are also known as the Digital Table Top weighing scales or just Table Top scales.
The HSCo Table Top Scale comes with a range of 10 kg to 50 kg. These are the ones that are most popularly known as Wajan Kanta or Wajan Kata. In terms of volumes, this category has the highest volumes. You would get the prices and specifications here:
Link : HINDUSTAN SCALE COMPANY – ELECTRONIC TABLE TOP SCALES
Platform Weighing Scale/ Electronic Platform Weighing Scale / Digital Platform Weighing scales
The HSCo Platform Scales are also known as Vajan Kata / Wajan Kata / Vajan Kanta / Wajan Kanta ranges between 50 kgs and goes all the way to 5000 kgs. You will get the specifications of the scales here:
Link : HINDUSTAN SCALE COMPANY – ELECTRONIC PLATFORM SCALES
Mechanical Counter Scales that uses weights
These Vajan Kata / Wajan Kata / Vajan Kanta / Wajan Kanta are now slowly being taken out of circulation because they are not that accurate, cumbersome, and mostly they use weights is an additional cost to the consumer. Hence Mechanical scales or analog scales are on a decline in recent times.
Apart from these, you would have heard of the name Dharam Kanta or Dharam Kata. These have two meanings as explained below.
It refers to the extremely precise weighing scales used for the old bullion trade. It is called the Dharam Kanta because the weighing scales readings are so accurate that even Lord Dharma cannot challenge it (This was narrated by one of the vendors in Zaveri Bazaar. I am not sure of its authenticity, but makes for a good story). These scales are used by generations after generations and are extremely trustworthy. Even today, if you buy ornaments from Zaveri Bazaar, you would first go and test them on Dharam Kanta.
Dharam Kanta also refers to a weighbridge on whom entire lorries or trucks can be weighed. I really don’t know why it’s called Dharam Kanta. Maybe because the scales are big enough to weigh even Lord Dharma. Who knows? Also, the beam scales are sometimes referred to as Dharam Kanta, but now they are slowly going out of fashion as compared to platform scales.
Just to conclude all the following simply means a weighing scale. The size depends upon the use.
