In an unusual twist of politics and patriotism, sweet shops in Jaipur, Rajasthan, have renamed several iconic Indian sweets by removing the word ‘Pak’, replacing it with ‘Shree’ in a bid to align with growing anti-Pakistan sentiment.
Following a recent wave of jingoism triggered by the Pahalgam attack and India’s response, several well-known confectioners in Jaipur have been pressured by Indian extremists -- either socially or ideologically -- into modifying the names of their sweets.
As a result, the much-loved Mysore Pak and Moti Pak are now being sold as Mysore Shree and Moti Shree. Other popular sweets such as Aam Pak, Gond Pak, Swarn Bhasm Pak, and Chandi Bhasm Pak have also been rebranded as Aam Shree, Gond Shree, Swarn Shree, and Chandi Shree respectively.
“We didn’t change the recipe, only the name,” said a local shopkeeper, who admitted it’s becoming increasingly difficult to explain to customers that the sweets are the same despite the new titles. “It’s purely a response to public sentiment.”
The owner of an upscale sweetmeat shop in Jaipur justified the move by tying it to patriotic emotions. "The spirit of patriotism shouldn't just reside at the border but in every Indian home and heart," she said. The decision, she added, is not about linguistics but sentiment.
