Mysore Pak becomes Mysore Shree: Shop owners in Rajasthan’s Jaipur drop ‘Pak’ from sweets over a phonetic link to Pakistan
Abu Anam | Clarion India
NEW DELHI – What’s in a name, right? Apparently, enough to spark a wave of ridiculous renaming decisions. Who could have thought that sweets could ever become divisive? But that’s exactly what has happened if one goes by the sweet shopkeepers in the Pink City of Jaipur in Rajasthan.
Some sweet shop owners have decided to get creative (read: utterly clueless) and rename traditional Indian confections that contain the word “Pak,” citing its phonetic resemblance to Pakistan. Though intended as a tribute to the Indian armed forces, the decision has sparked confusion and criticism online. Clearly, the most pressing issue in the country right now seems to be the nomenclature of sweets!!
Brands like Mysore Pak, Moti Pak, Aam Pak and Gond Pak are now being sold under new names: Mysore Shree, Moti Shree, Aam Shree and Gond Shree, according to media reports. Shopkeepers behind the rebranding say they were uncomfortable with the word Pak, despite its long-standing use in Indian culinary tradition, because it reminded them of India’s western neighbour.
“This is our small contribution to show support for the armed forces,” one vendor was quoted by the local media as saying.
Prominent outlets, including Bombay Mishthan Bhandar and Tyohaar Sweets, as well as shops in the iconic city like Mansarovar, Raja Park, and Vishali, have joined this patriotic rebranding. They cited continuous requests from customers who felt the word ‘Pak’ reminded them of Pakistan and hurt their feelings, given the current political climate.
However, the move has drawn widespread ridicule on social media, where users and scholars were quick to point out the linguistic absurdity of the change. Indian linguist Abhishek Avtans, commenting on the trend on X (formerly Twitter), clarified, “Who is going to tell them that Pak in Mysore Pak, Moti Pak, Aam Pak, etc. is from paka, a Kannada word which means ‘sweet condiment’… The shared root for both words is Sanskrit pakvá (cooked, ripe, baked).”
Another user added, “Pak is common to many Indian languages & refers to cooking.”
The sarcasm came pouring in, with one X user asking, “Remove Pak from Mysore Pak, but what will you do with China? What will you name Chini (sugar)?” Another quipped, “Came across this. What’s your take on this?” while a third simply lamented, “Kya ho raha hai bhai iss desh mein?” (What is happening in this country?).
While the renaming may reflect a surge in nationalist sentiment, linguists and critics argue that it lacks both cultural sensitivity and historical awareness. The term Pak in Indian sweets predates modern geopolitical conflicts and comes from deep linguistic roots in Indian languages.
But hey, who needs linguistic accuracy or cultural sensitivity when you’re fuelled by nationalist fervour? The renaming fiasco reflects a lack of cultural awareness and a surplus of misplaced enthusiasm. Who knew sweets could be so bitter?
