Overview

• Multiple Jaipur sweet shops, including Tyohaar Sweets and Bombay Misthan Bhandar, have replaced 'Pak' with 'Shree' or 'Bharat' in traditional sweet names following recent India–Pakistan tensions.
• Shopkeepers attribute the rebranding to repeated customer requests, as the term 'Pak' was perceived to evoke associations with Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack.
• Linguists have clarified that 'Pak' originates from the Kannada word 'pāka' and Sanskrit 'pakvá,' meaning 'cooked' or 'sweet condiment,' with no connection to Pakistan.
• The great-grandson of Mysore Pak's inventor has publicly opposed the renaming, emphasizing the sweet's historical and cultural significance tied to its original name.
• The renaming trend highlights a broader cultural response to geopolitical tensions, but critics argue it risks erasing linguistic and culinary heritage rooted in Indian traditions.