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First Post
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
Mysore Pak renamed to Mysore Shree: The controversy and history of famous sweet, explained
Amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, some confectioners in Rajasthan's Jaipur are taking their patriotism one step further — renaming the renowned Mysore Pak as Mysore Shree. But does the famous Indian dessert have any connection to the neighbouring nation? read more What's in a name, is the famous line written by William Shakespeare. And it still resonates even today amid the India-Pakistan tensions. Several sweet shops in Rajasthan's Jaipur have taken quite a patriotic stance by changing the names of their popular sweets — dropping the word 'Pak' and replacing it with 'Shree'. So, if you go to a sweet store in Jaipur, the chances are you won't get Mysore Pak, but Mysore Shree and you won't Moti Pak but Moti Shree. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The news comes just days after a group of men vandalised Karachi Bakery in Hyderabad, and raised 'anti-Pakistan' slogans in front of the shop. But does one of India's most beloved sweet dishes, Mysore Pak, have anything to do with Pakistan? Here's a look at what led to the famous sweet being named Mysore Pak. Sweet beginnings behind Mysore Pak Made out of ghee, gram flour, and sugar, Mysore Pak is a famous sweet across India and is traditionally served in weddings and other festivals of southern India. It is named Mysore Pak as it originated from Karnataka's Mysore (now Mysuru) in the early 20th century. The term 'pak' comes from the Kannada word 'paaka', which refers to the process of cooking food by heating, baking or frying. Legend has it that the sweet was first cooked up in Mysuru under the rule of Krishna Raja Wodeyar IV of the Wodeyar dynasty. It was 1935 and in the Amba Vilas Palace, where he lived, there was the usual hustle and bustle before lunch for the royal family. However, King Wodeyar's chef, Kaksura Madappa, was struggling to come up with an idea of a dessert for the monarch, who was also known to be a foodie. Madappa then cooked up a combination of gram flour, ghee, and sugar and served it to Krishna Raja Wodeyar. The king liked Madappa's preparation so much, he summoned him and demanded a name for it. When asked for its name, he called it 'Mysore Pak' — with 'pak' referring to a sugar syrup-based preparation in Kannada cuisine.' Legend has it that Mysore Pak was first cooked up in Mysuru under the rule of Krishna Raja Wodeyar IV of the Wodeyar dynasty. Image Courtesy: Pixabay There's also an alternate legend. One of the owners of Guru Sweet Mart in Mysuru, which is run by the descendants of Kaksura Madappa, has a slightly different take on the origin of Mysore Pak. According to him, Madappa was asked by the king to produce a 'different' sweet, one that would go by the name of Mysore. He adds that the cook used to be called 'nalapaka' - he who makes the paka, or sugar syrup. So he cooked up this dish and called it Mysore Pak. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But since its invention, it's become a huge hit and loved by many. As head chef and restaurant consultant Tarveen Kaur told the Indian Express, 'Over time, Mysore Pak transitioned from a palace-exclusive treat to a beloved household dessert. Local sweet shops began replicating the recipe, making it more accessible to the public.' From Mysore Pak to Mysore Shree Now, amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan as Operation Sindoor was launched, some stores in Jaipur took a call to rename the famous sweet from Mysore Pak to Mysore Shree. Anjali Jain, the owner of Tyohaar Sweets, in Jaipur is one of the many who have switched the name from Pak to Shree. Jain was quoted as telling the Economic Times, 'The spirit of patriotism shouldn't just stay at the border, it should be in every Indian home and heart.' Bombay Misthan Bhandar, one of Jaipur's oldest sweet shops, also renamed the sweet. 'We want to send a clear message: if anyone dares to go against India, we will respond in every way. This is our sweet, symbolic answer,' Vineet Trikha, general manager at Bombay Misthan Bhandar, also told the Economic Times. And it seems that this name change has been welcomed by customers. One such customer said, 'It may seem like a small thing, but changing the names of sweets is a strong cultural message. It shows we stand with our soldiers.' A display of the Indian sweet along with its new name, Mysore Shree, in a Jaipur sweet shop. Image Courtesy: X Name change leaves a bitter aftertaste However, the Jaipur sweet store owners' decision to change the name of Mysore Pak to Mysore Shree hasn't been digested well by the descendants of Kaksura Madappa, the man behind the sweet. S Nataraj, a descendant of royal cook Kakasura Madappa, who still makes and sells Mysore Pak in Mysuru, told News18, 'Call it Mysore Pak — there can be no other name for this invention passed down by our ancestors. Just like every monument or tradition has its rightful name, Mysore Pak does too. It should not be altered or misrepresented.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He further added, 'Wherever you go in the world, when someone sees the sweet, they should be able to identify and call it Mysore Pak. Nobody has the right to change its name.' Even Sumegh S, who is part of the family echoed similar sentiments. He told the media house, 'Mysore Pak is much more than a sweet. It holds deep cultural and historical significance for Mysuru and Karnataka. 'Mysore Pak is the pride of Mysuru, Karnataka, and the Kannadiga community. It reflects the sweetness of our people and the richness of Kannada culture. We only stand by the sweet our forefather created - Mysore Pak - which is now globally known. Do not drag it into unnecessary controversies.' And many others have also expressed their distaste for the name change. Taking to social media, one user wrote, 'The reason for this change among shopkeepers is 99 per cent WhatsApp forwards. And, ladies and gentlemen, introducing Reason 34, why you shouldn't graduate from WhatsApp University,' commented another. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Paka' in Kannada means sweet syrup —not Pakistan! But Jaipur sweetshops, in their infinite wisdom have renamed Mysore Pak to Mysore Shree. Because clearly, dessert names now threaten national security. High on patriotism, low on brains? Peak clownery #MysorePak — Gautham Machaiah (@GauthamMachaiah) May 24, 2025 Another said, 'Crowd pulling, Pak & Paak has a lot of difference.' And a third wrote on X, 'This reflects the limited understanding of religion and culture prevalent in the country today. Consequently, terms like 'Paaka Kala' may be misconstrued as the art of Pakistan, and 'Paaka Shastra' as the scriptures of Pakistan. High level of stupidity going on in this country.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
Indian Express
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Row over the name of ‘Mysore Pak': The story of India's beloved sweet
With tensions soaring between India and Pakistan following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, a sweet has got caught in the crossfire. Jaipur shopkeepers have said that they are renaming 'Mysore Pak' to 'Mysore Shree' to reflect prevailing sentiment and 'national pride', according to a PTI report. The development has come just days after a group of men vandalised Karachi Bakery in Hyderabad, and raised 'anti-Pakistan' slogans in front of the shop. Obviously, the word 'pak' in the name of the beloved Indian sweet has nothing to do with Pakistan. Here is a look at what the name means, and what is the story and history of the sweet. The sweet is Mysore Pak as it originated from Karnataka's Mysore (now, Mysuru) in the early 20th century. The term 'pak' comes from the Kannada word 'paaka', which refers to the process of cooking food by heating, baking or frying. Paaka in Kannada also refers to sticky sugar syrup obtained by simmering sugar with equal amounts of water. The sweet originated at a time when Mysuru was under the rule of Krishna Raja Wodyer IV of the Wodeyar dynasty. Krishna Raja Wodyer, whose reign lasted from 1902 to 1940, ushered in several reforms and developments. For instance, under his rule, Bangalore became the first Asian city to get electricity. Besides being a visionary king, Krishna Raja Wodyer was also a foodie. In the Amba Vilas Palace, where he lived, he had a huge kitchen whose royal cook was Kakasura Madappa. It was Madappa who came up with Mysore Pak while experimenting with gram flour, ghee, and sugar. Krishna Raja Wodyer was delighted after tasting the sweet, and asked for its name. As Madappa stood silent, the king named the sweet 'Mysore Pak' in a bid to promote the city which he ruled. In the subsequent years, the sweet gained prominence, becoming a household dessert. Today, Mysore Pak is consumed and distributed to mark special occasions, especially in South India. Notably, Madappa's family continues to run a sweet shop, which was once owned by the royal cook, in Mysuru. Speaking about the controversy over the name of the sweet, Nataraj, the great-grandson of Madappa, told the media that Mysore Pak should be called by its rightful name. He also said that the sweet could not be renamed just to suit some other language. Mysore Pak is prepared using ghee, gram flour and sugar. Ghee is first heated on a moderate flame until it becomes hot and aromatic. Once ready, gram flour is added to the ghee and sautéed continuously for several minutes until the mixture turns a rich brownish hue. Separately, sugar is dissolved in water and boiled until it reaches a syrupy consistency. The roasted ghee and gram flour mixture is then gently added to the hot sugar syrup, with constant stirring to ensure a smooth, lump-free texture. Once the mixture thickens and begins to release ghee, it is poured into a greased tray and allowed to cool. After setting, the Mysore Pak is cut into small pieces. If it melts in the mouth, it is considered to be a tasty and well-made sweet.
Hans India
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
PGTI Players Championship: Viraj Madappa bags title at Classic
Nuh (Haryana): Viraj Madappa of Kolkata won his first event on the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) after his return from a long injury layoff as he bagged the Rs 60 lakh PGTI Players Championship played at the Classic Golf & Country Club here on Thursday. Madappa (67-73-65) shot a seven-under 65 in the third and final round, the day's best score, to move up four spots from his overnight tied fifth place and total 11-under 205 in the 54-hole event. The 27-year-old Madappa, who didn't play a professional event for over a year, won by a two-shot margin. Bengaluru's Trishul Chinnappa (72-64-71) carded a 71 in round three to finish as runner-up at nine-under 207. Chandigarh golfer Ranjit Singh (69) and Kapurthala's Yuvraj Singh (68) took joint third place at eight-under 208. Madappa, an international winner, lifted his third professional trophy and first since 2021, after he signed for a flawless card that featured an eagle and five birdies. Madappa began the day with birdies on the first two holes and then added another birdie on the seventh to make the turn at three under. On the back nine, Madappa collected an eagle on the 14th and two more birdies to race ahead of the rest of the field. Madappa picked up a cheque worth Rs 9,00,000 for his effort. Trishul Chinnappa, the overnight leader who struck a top-notch second-round score of eight-under 64 to move into a two-shot lead at a total of eight-under 136, made an eagle, a birdie, and two bogeys to submit a card of 71 on Thursday and take second place. Trishul earned a cheque of Rs 6,00,000 for his effort that lifted him from 74th to 36th place in the PGTI Order of Merit. Lucknow's Sanjeev Kumar (69-69) was placed second at six-under 138 going into the third and final round while Chandigarh's Ranjit Singh (70-69) and Bangladesh golfer Md Siddikur Rahman (70-69), an international winner and seven-time winner on the PGTI, were a further shot back in tied third place. But on Thursday, Viraj Madapp upstaged them all.
