Some sweet shop owners in Jaipur have begun renaming traditional Indian confections that contain the word “Pak”, citing its phonetic resemblance to Pakistan. The decision, though intended as a tribute to the Indian armed forces, has stirred confusion and criticism online.
Sweets 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 a report by NDTV India. 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 told local media.
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.
