tanam

Tanam is a term used in Malay and Indonesian languages with primary associations to planting and cultivation. As a verb, tanam means to plant, set in the ground, or cultivate crops; as a noun, related forms include tanaman (plants or crops) and penanaman (the act of planting or cultivation). In everyday agriculture, tanam covers sowing seeds, transplanting seedlings, and ongoing care of crops or trees.

In Carnatic music, Tanam is a formal melodic improvisation that elaborates a raga before the kriti. It is typically performed in a free rhythm without strict tala, and serves as a bridge between the raga exposition (alap) and the Pallavi section of Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi. The tanam emphasizes melodic phrases and sruti alignment, establishing the tonal and rhythmic mood that the performer later anchors in the Pallavi.

The term thus has distinct meanings in different cultural domains: in Malay/Indonesian agriculture and in Indian classical music. While they share the same phonetic form, they describe unrelated concepts in their respective contexts.