Mysore Pak, the famous Indian sweet from Mysore, Karnataka, tantalizes the taste buds of people at large across the borders of the country. The history of Mysore Pak is as sweet as its taste. Furthermore, the origin of Mysore Pak and Guru Sweets in Mysore, are beautifully linked. Learn about Guru Sweets, Mysore and the history of Mysore Pak. Let’s delve into the discovery of this delicious sweet.
The link between the Guru Sweets, Mysore and the history of Mysore Pak
The history of Mysore Pak dates back to the days of Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV, one of the erstwhile rulers of Mysore. His royal kitchen saw the invention of this lip-smacking delicacy. Kakasura Madappa, the palace chief cook, put together gram flour, ghee and sugar and discovered this relishable sweet. In fact, it was an accidental discovery akin to many other good things about life.
Some sources believe that when the king asked Kakasura Madappa for the name of the delicacy he had prepared, he blurted out ‘Mysore Pak.’ Others say King Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV named the sweet ‘Mysore Pak’, prepared in the royal kitchen. The word ‘Pak’ in Kannada means ‘sweet’; hence, we can trace the word’s etymology back to the sweet prepared in Mysore. Thus, the delicacy got the name ‘Mysore Pak’. What does the Guru Sweets, Mysore and the history of Mysore Pak, have to do with each other?
The history of Mysore Pak and Guru sweets in Mysore has a significant link. The royal chef Kakasura Madappa was the ancestor of the existing shop owners of Guru Sweets in Mysore. As per the forefathers’ words of the current shop owners of Guru Sweets in Mysore, the King also wanted the sweets to be also available to the public. Hence, he instrumentalized the idea of opening a shop by Madappa outside the palace premises for the people to relish the sweet. This was the beginning of Guru Sweets in Mysore. Thus goes the story of Mysore Pak and Guru Sweets.
Shop owners of Guru Sweets, Mysore on the history of Mysore Pak
“According to our forefathers, my great grandfather was asked to prepare various sweets for the guests. While preparing other sweets, he tried a new combination, which eventually became the royal sweet,” said Kumar and his brother Shivanand. According to Kumar, they have all the documents to show that this sweet is prepared first in the royal kitchen of the Mysore Palace. Even though Mysore Pak is an Iconic dish from Karnataka, no Geographical Indication (GI) tag has been conferred to this product yet as, by nature, it is a generic product.
Thus, the Guru Sweets, Mysore and the history of Mysore Pak calls for excitement and joy.
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