The owners of Karachi Bakery are as Hyderabadi — and Indian — as anyone else
Karachi Bakery in Hyderabad stands at the crossroads of the historic Moazzam Jahi Market junction and is a landmark in its own right. It's no secret that the owners were originally from Karachi and set up the much-loved bakery in Hyderabad in 1953. According to its website, it was founded by Khanchand Ramnani, who migrated to India after the Partition in 1947.
Every time there is a conflict between India and Pakistan, right-wing elements head to Karachi Bakery in Hyderabad — or one of its outlets elsewhere in the country — to target it because of its name. This time, it happened in Vizag as well. In Hyderabad, at the flagship store, the owners were reportedly asked to put up the national flag on the main door as tensions escalated between India and Pakistan following the terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir.
After Osmania biscuits, the fruit biscuit from Karachi Bakery in Hyderabad is probably the most sought-after. Made by a legacy brand, everyone — whether tourists or local people — knows that this biscuit is now a part of Hyderabad's heritage. But it is becoming increasingly likely that Karachi Bakery may be forced to change its name someday, simply because some people are unable to understand that the bakery's name is all its owners have left to remind them of their roots.
The owners of Karachi Bakery are as Hyderabadi — and Indian — as anyone else. Forcing them to prove their loyalty simply because they chose to remember their hometown, which they had to leave after Partition, is not just unfair — it's disgraceful. Being trolled, abused, and having their loyalty questioned only reflects poorly on our society.
There is a Bombay Bakery in Sindh, operating peacefully since 1911. That bakery, in Pakistan's Hyderabad, has never faced trouble over its name — despite India and Pakistan having fought several wars since Partition.
Also read: 'Will never change name & we are not leaving Mumbai,' say Karachi Bakery owners
Karachi Bakery owners deserve our love and support
This time, as tensions escalated to include drone strikes and shelling, a group of people protested outside Karachi Bakery's outlet in Vizag, Andhra Pradesh. While no such incident has occured in Hyderabad so far, the owner had to publicly appeal to citizens not to target them.
'WE ARE PROUDLY INDIAN. KARACHI BAKERY is 100% Indian Brand, founded in Hyderabad, India in 1953. Our name is a part of our history, not our nationality. Please SUPPORT US for who we are … An Indian Brand SERVING India with LOVE,' the brand wrote in an Instagram post.
The current owners also told PTI that the name is rooted in Partition-era legacy, not ideology. The fact that so much trolling and hate has been directed at an Indian brand simply for its name shows just how poorly we engage with our past and heritage.
No matter what happens in the world, we can't change our past. The fact is, India and Pakistan share a long, intertwined history. So it should be no surprise that families wishing to honour their past use names that remind them of their origins.
Who are we to deny the Ramnani family their legacy and their decision to preserve a part of it through the bakery's name? It is part of their identity. There is also a Hyderabad in Pakistan — should we erase or rename our own Hyderabad because of that? The name has nothing to do with our neighbouring country's politics, and anyone with an iota of sense should understand that.
I'm sure many of the protesters in Vizag are regular customers of Karachi Bakery — but understanding why the name matters to the family may be beyond their comprehension.
The Indian right-wing — or anyone uncomfortable with the name Karachi Bakery — needs to understand that they are targeting a Hindu family that has already suffered the trauma of Partition. To subject them to more pain with these unnecessary attacks every time there is a conflict is a disservice to our shared history and heritage.
Everyone in Hyderabad who can — and who values our cultural legacy — should speak up in support of Karachi Bakery. They deserve to feel safe, respected, and loved.
Yunus Lasania is a Hyderabad-based journalist whose work primarily focuses on politics, history and culture. He tweets @YunusLasania. Views are personal.
(Edited by Prashant)
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