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 Buddhist period (600 BC). It was featured in the book Speciality rices of the world by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Chinese monk Faxian wrote that when Buddha visited Kapilvastu (Siddharthnagar) for the first time after attaining enlightenment, villagers asked him for "Prasad" means Gift, Buddha gave them some grains of kalanamak rice and asked them to sow in marshy land and said, "It will have a typical aroma and will always remind people of me". It was granted the Geographical Indication (Gl) Tag in 2012 by the Government of India. It is rich in micronutrients such as Iron and Zinc. It has double protein that of common rice and has a low Glycemic Index making it relatively sugar-Free and suitable for diabetics.