Daijiworld Media Network – Jaipur
Jaipur, May 25: In an unusual expression of nationalism triggered by recent India-Pakistan tensions, sweet shop owners across Rajasthan’s capital city of Jaipur have begun renaming iconic Indian sweets by replacing the word ‘Pak’ with ‘Shree’, despite the original term bearing no connection to Pakistan.
The move follows heightened emotions in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, which claimed 26 lives. The incident, reportedly linked to cross-border terrorism, prompted India to launch Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Pakistan retaliated with a drone and missile attack, leading to a brief military flare-up, which ended with a ceasefire on May 10.
Against this volatile backdrop, sweet vendors in Jaipur's iconic markets like Johari Bazaar and Shastri Nagar have quietly begun altering the names of their traditional confections—Moti Pak, Gond Pak, Aam Pak, and the famed Mysore Pak—to Moti Shree, Gond Shree, Aam Shree, and Mysore Shree respectively.
“Customers were increasingly uncomfortable with the word ‘Pak’. Some even joked about its association with Pakistan. So, we took the initiative to rename the sweets to reflect a more ‘patriotic’ flavour,” said Mohit Jain, a confectioner near Jaipur Municipal Corporation.
Another shopkeeper added, “We’ve renamed everything from Bikaneri Moti Pak to Bikaneri Moti Shree, and even Swarn Bhasm Pak is now Swarn Bhasm Shree. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.”
While many locals have welcomed the move as a symbolic assertion of nationalism, the decision has sparked criticism from linguistic scholars and cultural historians who term it as a gross misinterpretation of Indian culinary terminology.
“The word ‘Pak’ is not derived from Urdu or associated with Pakistan,” clarified a senior Sanskrit scholar from Jaipur. “It originates from the Sanskrit term ‘Pak-Shastra’, meaning the science of cooking. In Kannada, particularly in the context of Mysore Pak, ‘Pak’ refers to sugar syrup, an integral part of the sweet’s preparation. This is a culinary term, not a political one.”
Food historians argue that such changes not only show a lack of understanding of India’s rich linguistic and cultural diversity but also set a dangerous precedent of altering traditional names based on misplaced associations.
“While patriotism is appreciated, it should not come at the cost of distorting our heritage,” said a culinary researcher based in Udaipur.
Nevertheless, sweet shop owners remain undeterred. “When people hear ‘Shree’, they feel proud. It’s about sentiments and unity,” said Prateek Agarwal, a sweets vendor in Shastri Nagar who plans to implement the changes in his outlets soon.
As the sweet renaming trend spreads, it has opened up a wider debate about symbolic nationalism, cultural reinterpretation, and the thin line between tradition and sentiment in contemporary India.