Latest news with #TyohaarSweets
Indian Express
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
When patriotism becomes a food fight: The tragicomedy of Mysore shree
India finally has its 'freedom fries' moment. And it is sweet indeed. After 9/11, an American congressman renamed French fries as freedom fries because France had opposed the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq. Patriotism, it seems, could run deep and be deep-fried although French fries actually originated in Belgium. Even more ironic — it was the Americans who had named them French fries in the first place. Now Tyohaar Sweets in Jaipur has decided that it will show its patriotism by renaming Moti pak and Mysore pak as Moti shree and Mysore shree. Anjali Jain, its proprietor, told news media they had decided to remove 'Pak' from the names of their sweets and replace it with something more 'culturally resonant and patriotic'. Jain's motives might be shuddh-ghee patriotic except words actually have meanings. That meaning does not change just because it sounds like a word we do not like. A descendant of Madappa, the royal cook from Mysuru, who came up with Mysore pak using besan, ghee and sugar, wondered how the sweet could be renamed just to suit another language. This isn't even like Karachi Bakery which had to clarify that it's 100 per cent Indian and started by a Partition refugee in Hyderabad. Unlike that Karachi, this pak has nothing to do with Pakistan at all. It's a Kannada word for a process of cooking by heating, baking or frying as well as the sticky syrup made by simmering sugar and water. The roots lie in Sanskrit. Thus, in Hindi, paag is sugar syrup. In Bengali, pak means to stir and thicken. So, the Bengali sandesh might be 'naram pak' or soft or 'kora pak' which is harder. If we change them to naram shree and kora shree they would sound, quips a friend, not like sweets but new additions to Mamata Banerjee's many benefit programmes like Kanyashree, Yuvashree and Rupashree. It's not just freedom fries and Mysore pak. During World War I, sauerkraut was named 'liberty cabbage' and frankfurters were named 'liberty dogs' to score some anti-German points. After many Muslims complained about how a Danish newspaper depicted the Prophet Muhammad in 2005, some bakeries and cafes in Tehran started serving 'Roses of the Prophet Muhammad' instead of Danishes. This year, after Donald Trump launched a trade war against Canada, some cafes there decided to rechristen their Americanos as Canadianos. Of course, the coffee beans came from neither the US nor Canada. Anyway, Americano was never particularly complimentary. The story goes that American soldiers stationed in Italy during World War II found the espresso a bit too strong. They diluted it with hot water. Thus Americano is basically an espresso with less machismo. Coffee fights often get bitter. When Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974, Greece angrily renamed Turkish coffee as Greek coffee, a linguistic counter-strike. It's interesting that patriotism so often turns into a food fight as if the best way to a patriot's heart is through their stomach (though in some Indian languages that is inconveniently called a pak-sthali). Food can bring us together. But it's also the most effective way to mark the other. Food bans are a well-established strategy to show one group or another its place in the scheme of things. By renaming a food we think we are in a sense wrestling it away from someone. Except as it turns out, French fries never belonged to the French. And Mysore pak certainly did not belong to Pakistan. Renaming Mysore pak to Mysore shree in no way ensures that Pakistan gets its just deserts. Or, just desserts. It's a bit like the Montreal restaurant who decided to rename poutine, the artery-clogging Canadian junk food where French fries are smothered in gravy and cheese curds. To show solidarity with Ukraine, it was unimaginatively renamed 'fry cheese gravy' although poor poutine had nothing to do with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Freedom fries had a tragicomic end. The congressman who renamed it was himself disgraced. The Iraq War lost favour with Americans and freedom fries quietly returned to being French fries. In all the brouhaha, the food never changed or improved in taste. Jingoism just became added food colouring. Calling Mysore pak Mysore shree might be intended as a tyohaar of patriotism. But sadly it just shows some of us do not know our own heritage — linguistic or culinary. That is always a recipe for disaster. What's next, wondered a friend. Should the pakora become a shree-ora? Roy is a novelist and the author of Don't Let Him Know
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Business Standard
24-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
'Mysore Pak' now 'Mysore Shree': Jaipur shops drop 'Pak' tag from sweets
In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack and India's subsequent military action under ' Operation Sindoor", several iconic sweet shops in Jaipur have undertaken a symbolic rebranding of their traditional sweets. Popular confections that traditionally carried the suffix 'Pak' have been renamed with alternatives such as 'Shree' or 'Bharat,' reflecting a surge of national pride and solidarity. At Jaipur's well-known Tyohaar Sweets, proprietor Anjali Jain spearheaded the initiative to remove 'Pak' from sweet names, replacing it with culturally resonant terms. 'The spirit of patriotism shouldn't just reside at the border but in every Indian home and heart,' Jain told news agency PTI. -Mysore Pak → Mysore Shree -Aam Pak → Aam Shree -Gond Pak → Gond Shree Also Read -Swarn Bhasm Pak → Swarn Shree -Chandi Bhasm Pak → Chandi Shree -Moti Pak → Moti Shree The shop's offerings, which number over 125 varieties, have long been a staple in Jaipur's festive culinary scene, and this swift rebranding illustrates how deeply current events can shape even traditional businesses. A citywide trend of culinary rebranding Tyohaar Sweets is not alone in showcasing this patriotic gesture. Other renowned establishments, including the decades-old Bombay Misthan Bhandar and Agarwal Caterers, have also dropped 'Pak' from their sweet names. Vineet Trikha, general manager of Bombay Misthan Bhandar, described the renaming as a 'sweet, symbolic retaliation,' saying, 'We wanted to send a clear message — those who dare raise their eyes against India will have their names erased, and every Indian will respond in their own way.' Businessman Ramesh Bhatia echoed this sentiment, calling the gesture 'a powerful cultural response' that signals unity from the battlefield to civilian life, PTI reported. 'Changing the names of sweets may seem small, but it's a powerful cultural response,' he said. Retired teacher Pushpa Kaushik added, 'This initiative feels like a sweet salute to our soldiers — simple, symbolic, and heartfelt.' Linguistic irony: 'Pak' has deep Indian roots Despite the patriotic fervour, linguists have pointed out an ironic twist. The suffix 'Pak' in these sweets has no connection with Pakistan. Instead, it stems from ancient Indian culinary vocabulary. Times Now reported Abhishek Avtans, a linguist at Leiden University, as saying, 'Pak is from 'paka,' a Kannada word meaning sweet condiment. It shares the same root as Hindi 'pag' (sugar syrup), both deriving from Sanskrit 'pakva' meaning cooked or ripe.' Mysore Pak, for example, originates from the royal kitchens of the Mysore palace in Karnataka, created by chef Kakasura Madappa during the reign of King Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV. The sweet's name commemorates its city of origin and its signature sticky sugar syrup that binds the ingredients, rather than any political association. Karachi Bakery outlet in Hyderabad attacked Earlier this month, a Hyderabad outlet of the 73-year-old Karachi Bakery came under attack days after renewed criticism over its name surfaced during heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. According to PTI, around 10 to 15 individuals assembled outside the bakery, chanting "anti-Pakistan slogans". Rajesh and Harish Ramnani, owners of the bakery, told PTI that Karachi Bakery is a '100 per cent Indian brand', established by their grandfather Khanchand Ramnani in 1953 after migrating to India during the partition. 'We request Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and senior officers of administration to support to prevent any change in the name. People are putting up tricolour in the outlets of the bakery across the city. Kindly support us as we are an Indian brand and not a Pakistani brand,' they told PTI. This is not the first time the bakery has come under fire. In 2019, following the Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel, a group had stormed the Bengaluru Indiranagar outlet demanding a change in its name.
Hindustan Times
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘Call It Mysore Pak': Inventor's great-grandson reacts as Jaipur shops rename iconic sweet
The great-grandson of the royal cook, who invented the famous Indian sweet Mysore Pak, has strongly objected to recent efforts to rename the delicacy, reported News18. A descendant of Kakasura Madappa, who first made the sweet in the Mysore palace kitchen, S Nataraj said, as quoted by News18, 'Call it Mysore Pak—there can be no other name,' . 'Just like every monument or tradition has its rightful name, Mysore Pak does too. It shouldn't be altered or misrepresented,' the kin said. 'Pak' comes from the Kannada word Paaka, which means sugar syrup and since the sweet was made in Mysore, it became 'Mysore Pak,' thus, there is no 'reason to call it anything else", the kin of the royal cook explained. The controversy erupted after at least three famous confectioneries in Rajasthan's Jaipur dropped 'Pak' from their entire range of offerings. Tyohaar Sweets, Bombay Misthan Bhandar, and Agarwal Caterers have renamed traditional sweets by replacing the word "Pak" with "Shree" as a mark of patriotism. As part of the growing trend, Aam Pak has become Aam Shree, Gond Pak is now Gond Shree and the iconic Mysore Pak has been renamed Mysore Shree. The move was triggered after the recent terror attack in Pahalgam and a military operation called Operation Sindoor against terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The change is part of a broader effort to avoid the word 'Pak,' seen by some as linked to Pakistan. The owners said the move was a symbolic act of patriotism. "We want our sweets to show national pride," news agency PTI quoted Anjali Jain of Tyohaar Sweets as saying. 'It's not just about the name. After the attacks, we felt the need to express our feelings in our way,' she said. Businessman Ramesh Bhatia told the agency, 'Changing sweet names may seem small, but it's a strong cultural message. It shows unity with our soldiers.' 'When I heard 'Mysore Shree' instead of 'Mysore Pak,' I smiled. It felt like a sweet tribute to our brave soldiers,' another resident added. While some customers have welcomed the changes, calling them a show of support for Indian forces, many are against changing historic names. Language experts say the word 'Pak' has Persian roots, meaning both 'sweetmeat' and 'pure.' In Hindi and Kannada, it refers to something that's cooked or prepared, especially using sugar. Since 'Mysore Pak' and other sweets are made using sugar syrup, the original name is technically accurate.
Economic Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
‘Mysore Pak' renamed ‘Mysore Shree': Jaipur confectioners drop ‘Pak' from sweet names to express patriotism; See the new names
What's in a name? For many sweet shops in Jaipur, quite a lot. In a patriotic move, several well-known confectioners in the city have started changing the names of their popular sweets by dropping the word 'Pak' and replacing it with 'Shree'. So now, people are buying 'Mysore Shree' instead of 'Mysore Pak', 'Moti Shree' instead of 'Moti Pak', and 'Aam Shree', 'Gond Shree', even luxury sweets like 'Swarn Shree' and 'Chandi Shree', instead of their original names ending in 'Pak'. This name change comes after recent Pakistan-backed terror attacks in Pahalgam and Operation Sindoor, where India targeted terror camps in Pakistan. Sweet shop owners say this is their small way of expressing Jain, the owner of Tyohaar Sweets in Vaishali Nagar, said their sweets should reflect national pride.'The spirit of patriotism shouldn't just stay at the border, it should be in every Indian home and heart,' she said. She also said the decision is not just about words, but feelings. Customers are also supporting the Misthan Bhandar, one of Jaipur's oldest sweet shops, has also renamed all sweets ending in 'Pak'. Agarwal Caterers joined in too.'We want to send a clear message: if anyone dares to go against India, we will respond in every way. This is our sweet, symbolic answer,' said Vineet Trikha, general manager at Bombay Misthan customers feel proud of the Ramesh Bhatia said that such actions show unity.'It may seem like a small thing, but changing the names of sweets is a strong cultural message. It shows we stand with our soldiers.'Retired teacher Pushpa Kaushik added,'When I heard the name 'Mysore Shree', I smiled with pride. It feels like a sweet salute to our brave soldiers.'Smaller sweet shops in Jaipur are also following the to the Rekhta dictionary, the word 'Pak' comes from Persian and means 'sweetmeat or confection', and also 'pure, clean or holy'. The Hindi dictionary defines 'Pak' as 'cooking or preparation'.But for these Jaipur sweet makers, the word change is not about the dictionary, it's about national pride.
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Mysore Pak' renamed ‘Mysore Shree': Jaipur confectioners drop ‘Pak' from sweet names to express patriotism; See the new names
What's in a name? For many sweet shops in Jaipur , quite a lot. In a patriotic move, several well-known confectioners in the city have started changing the names of their popular sweets by dropping the word ' Pak ' and replacing it with 'Shree'. So now, people are buying ' Mysore Shree ' instead of 'Mysore Pak', 'Moti Shree' instead of 'Moti Pak', and 'Aam Shree', 'Gond Shree', even luxury sweets like 'Swarn Shree' and 'Chandi Shree', instead of their original names ending in 'Pak'. This name change comes after recent Pakistan-backed terror attacks in Pahalgam and Operation Sindoor, where India targeted terror camps in Pakistan. Sweet shop owners say this is their small way of expressing patriotism. 'Patriotism in Every Sweet' Anjali Jain, the owner of Tyohaar Sweets in Vaishali Nagar, said their sweets should reflect national pride. 'The spirit of patriotism shouldn't just stay at the border, it should be in every Indian home and heart,' she said. Live Events She also said the decision is not just about words, but feelings. Customers are also supporting the move. A Sweet, Symbolic Message Bombay Misthan Bhandar, one of Jaipur's oldest sweet shops, has also renamed all sweets ending in 'Pak'. Agarwal Caterers joined in too. 'We want to send a clear message: if anyone dares to go against India, we will respond in every way. This is our sweet, symbolic answer,' said Vineet Trikha, general manager at Bombay Misthan Bhandar. Customers Approve Many customers feel proud of the change. Businessman Ramesh Bhatia said that such actions show unity. 'It may seem like a small thing, but changing the names of sweets is a strong cultural message. It shows we stand with our soldiers.' Retired teacher Pushpa Kaushik added, 'When I heard the name 'Mysore Shree', I smiled with pride. It feels like a sweet salute to our brave soldiers.' Smaller sweet shops in Jaipur are also following the trend. What Does 'Pak' Mean? According to the Rekhta dictionary, the word 'Pak' comes from Persian and means 'sweetmeat or confection', and also 'pure, clean or holy'. The Hindi dictionary defines 'Pak' as 'cooking or preparation'. But for these Jaipur sweet makers, the word change is not about the dictionary, it's about national pride.
