Kalanamak is a scented rice of Nepal and India . Its name means black husk (kala = black; the suffix 'namak' means salt). This variety has been in cultivation since the original Buddhist period (600 BC). It is popular in Himalayan Tarai of Nepal i.e., Kapilvastu, and eastern Uttar Pradesh, where it is known as the scented black pearl. It was featured in the book Speciality rices of the world by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Acreage under this variety has declined sharply, pushing it towards extinction, for reasons including:

• Panicle blast epidemics in 1998 and 1999
• tall stature of the crop causing lodging
• long time harvest (6 to 7 months)
• poor quality seeds and research support

Kalanamak was grown widely in Kapilvastu and UP's Tarai belt, which comprised districts Siddharth Nagar, Sant Kabir Nagar, Maharajganj, Basti, Gonda, and Gorakhpur. Until the 1990s, the variety made up more than 10% of the total rice cultivation area in Siddharthanagar. However, acreage growing this variety in this district declined to <0.5% of total rice cultivation during 2002.