One of my favourite Indian mithais is the Mysore pak. I generally eat this in strict moderation. But at Diwali, I tend to indulge. This soft and fudgy sweet bursts with the flavours of besan (gram flour) and ghee, and melts in the mouth. It is such a heavenly sensation.
Royal origins
Mysore pak derives its name from its geographic origins and ingredients. It was first made in the royal kitchens of the Mysore maharaja, by a palace chef named Kakasura Madappa, and is therefore named after the city. The “pak” here has no connection with our neighbouring country, just in case you were wondering. Rather, it is derived from “paaka”, Kannada for sweet syrup, a key ingredient in the sweet.
Today, Mysore pak is sold by several famous South Indian brands. It arrives in beautiful, festive packs. Brands have tried to differentiate themselves by creating variants of this mithai. For instance, Sri Krishna Sweets, a leading chain for sweets and savouries, markets its special variant by the name ‘Mysurpa’. This is described as being particularly soft and creamy.
The happy thought of eating Mysore paks during Diwali has led me to think about some of the trends I am seeing with respect to mithais in the recent past. Mithais have always been a part of Indian festivals, yet their nature is evolving. Here are a few observations.
Dry fruit mithais
Virtually every box of mithais my family and I have been gifted this year includes dry fruit mithais — anjeer barfi, kaju pista roll and the cleverly named ‘khajur pak’ (made of dates). There are also variants of these sweets with no added sugar. It appears these dry fruit mithais are growing popular due to three key reasons. First and foremost, dry fruits are seen as healthy, so these mithais combine the best of both worlds — health and taste. Second, most of these dry fruit sweets do not contain dairy, and are ideal for people who are lactose intolerant. Third, dry fruits as gift traditionally has connotations of status in India because they are relatively expensive.
Mom’s mithais
Very few of us make mithais at home any more. Most large brands, however, offer mass-produced mithais, which use preservatives and cheaper oils. This has led to the emergence of brands offering mithais that promise a taste and purity equivalent to “mom’s home-made mithais”. They make them in small quantities, without preservatives, and hence have low shelf-life. They do not use palm oil, which is cost-effective. Instead, they use premium oils or ghee, staying true to the original home recipe. What these mithais offer is freshness, authenticity and artisanal quality, in an age of mass production. Because of the convenience of e-commerce and quick commerce, many of these small brands are easily accessible to consumers who are willing to pay a premium.
Mini-mithais
These bite-sized mithais radiate excellent quality and are ideal for those yearning to indulge in sinfully delicious sweets, but in moderation. The packaging, highlighting premiumness and portion control, must safe-keep the smaller portions, which tend to break or turn dry quicker. Some mini-mithais are individually packed, a la luxurious Belgian or Swiss chocolates. There may be a subliminal force at play here: when we think that something is a luxury or gourmet food, we are often content with eating smaller portions.
Fusion mithais
These Indian mithais incorporate global ingredients and influences, such as dark chocolate, blueberries, cacao, caramel and sea salt. So you have dark chocolate barfi, besan laddoo truffles and gulab jamun cheesecake. Personally, I am not a fan of fusion mithais because I like desi authenticity in my sweets. However, these creative expressions have a lot of takers looking for new-age experiences and novelty.
So, what will be your choice of mithai this festive season, whether for your consumption or for gifting? On that note, let me wish you a very happy Diwali!
(Harish Bhat is an avid marketer and bestselling author)
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Published on October 19, 2025