'Nobody Can Change Mysore Pak's Name': Kin Of Man Who Invented Iconic Sweet Slam Renaming Bid

News18

24-05-2025

Last Updated:
The great-grandson of Mysore royal family's cook, who is credited with creating the iconic sweet, said the sweet is a cultural emblem and part of Karnataka's soul
'Call it Mysore Pak —there can be no other name for this invention passed down by our ancestors," says S Nataraj, great-grandson of Kakasura Madappa, the cook of the Mysore royal Wadiyar family, who is credited with creating the iconic sweet.
Madappa's legacy is inseparable from the name itself, says Nataraj. 'The word Paaka in Kannada refers to a sugary syrup. Since it was invented in Mysore, it came to be known as Mysore Pak. There's no question of calling it anything else."
'Just like every monument or tradition has its rightful name, so does Mysore Pak. Don't misrepresent it," said the descendant of Kakasura Madappa.
Nataraj's strong statement comes at a time when several sweet shops in Jaipur have renamed Mysore Pak as 'Mysore Shree" in an attempt to drop all associations with the word 'Pak" as in Pakistan, in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The attack, followed by India's military action under Operation Sindoor, triggered an anti-Pakistan sentiment, prompting at least three well-known confectioners in Rajasthan's capital to alter the names of their products.
But for the descendants of the man who created the sweet, the idea of tampering with the name is unacceptable. 'Mysore Pak is a delicious sweet made with a sugary syrup, gram flour, and ghee. This invention by our family must be called by its rightful name and nothing else," reiterated Nataraj when he spoke to News18 in an exclusive interview.
'Wherever in the world you go, when someone sees the sweet, they should be able to identify and call it by its name Mysore Pak. Nobody has the right to change its name," he said.
The family has been making the sweet for five generations and still runs the famous Guru Sweets in Mysuru. Located along the Mysuru Dasara Jumbo Savari route, the shop was set up by Nataraj's great-grandfather to help popularise the sweet even more amongst people and not just make it for the royal Darbar.
According to Sumegh Nataraj, the fourt generation of the family, Mysore Pak is not just a sweet — it is a cultural emblem, one with historical importance.
'Mysore Pak is the pride of Mysore, Karnataka and Kannadigas. It presents the real essence of what our culture truly stands for—the sweetness of the Kananda and Kannadigas and the richness of Kannada culture and tradition. We only believe in the product that my forefather invented, Mysore Pak, which today is renowned globally. Don't attach unnecessary controversies to Mysore Pak."
A few years ago, Mysore Pak was part of another controversy when a social media post falsely claimed Tamil Nadu had applied for a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for it. Aligning with swift action, the descendants of Madappa officially applied for the GI tag.
'We had to act. That post caused confusion and started an avoidable debate. We're still waiting," said another member of the family.
How Mysore Pak was 'invented'
The story of Mysore Pak's invention dates back to the time of Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV (1902–1940), the king of Mysore, who was known to be a food connoisseur. He not only had a massive kitchen in the palace but was also known to cook on occasion himself. The king would also challenge his royal chefs to prepare dishes from different regions as well as different types of prasadams, or temple offerings.
So, as the legend goes, one day during lunch, the king realised that his royal cook Kakasura Madappa had forgotten to prepare a dessert course. When he inquired about the missing course, Madappa had no option but to think on his feet. Caught off guard, Kakasura Madappa quickly mixed gram flour, ghee, and sugar to create a hot, soft fudge-like sweet. He presented this warm, soft, melt-in-the-mouth sweet that delighted the king as he tasted it.
When Krishnaraja Wadiyar posed the question as to what the name of the sweet was, Madappa had to once again come up with something quickly—but this time, even faster than the time he took to prepare the newly concocted sweet.
'Mysore Pak, my king, that's what it's called," came the reply, as he felt that this was the best name to be given to a sweet made in Mysore using a sugary syrup.
To this day, the family proudly upholds that legacy—not just by preparing the sweet, but by fiercely defending its name at a time like this.
'At no cost should anyone attempt to rename or politicise Mysore Pak," Nataraj said firmly. 'It's more than a sweet — it's a part of Karnataka's soul."
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