Why would 'Mysore Pak' upset anyone? That 'Pak' is actually from Sanskrit
Abhishek Avtans
Jun 8, 2025, 14:10 IST
India has over 424 distinct languages. But this diversity is under strain as language wars start turning bitter
Languages can either foster peace and understanding or serve as tools for conflict and division. In India, they are increasingly being weaponised.
For instance, amid tensions with Pakistan , some shopkeepers in Jaipur renamed sweets like Mysore Pak and Moti Pak to Mysore Shree and Moti Shree, erroneously assuming the word 'pak' (meaning 'sacred' in Persian) to be of foreign origin. Ironically, in the case of these sweets, 'pak' is rooted in the Sanskrit term 'pakva' (meaning 'cooked'), with cognates in several Indian languages, including Kannada.
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