Rooh Afza: The Iconic Drink of the Indian Subcontinent

Rooh Afza, a bright red syrup with a distinct aroma, has been a household name in the Indian subcontinent for over a century. Known for its refreshing taste and cooling properties, this beloved drink has a rich cultural history and is a staple in many households, especially during the hot summer months.

“Rooh” means soul in Arabic, and “Afza” means to refresh — making Rooh Afza, quite literally, a refreshment for the soul. Sherbet (pronounced “shar-bat” in Urdu) is a common beverage in South Asian and Middle Eastern cultures

Histroy: Rooh Afza was founded by Hamdard's founder, Hakim Hafiz Abdul Majeed an Unani doctor who worked from a small laboratory in old Delhi, India. In 1906, he wanted to create an herbal mix that would help Delhi's people stay cool in the summer. He selected herbs and syrups from traditional Unani medicine and created a drink that would help counter heat strokes and prevent water loss in people. After Majeed's death 15 years later, his wife Rabea Begum established a charitable trust in the name of herself and their two sons, where all the profits would go to public welfare.

Following the partition of India in 1947, while the elder son, Hakim Abdul Hameed, stayed back in India, the younger son, Hakim Mohammad Said, migrated to Pakistan on January 9, 1948, and started a separate Hamdard Company from two rooms in the old Arambagh area of Karachi. Hamdard Pakistan finally became profitable in 1953. Hakim Mohammad Said had opened a branch of Hamdard in the former East Pakistan (Bangladesh).

The Drink: Hakim chose from among the drugs such as Tukhm-e-khurfa (Portulaca oleracea Seeds) Tukhm-e-kasni(Cichorium intybus Seeds), Munaqqa(Vitis vinifera), Chharila (Permelia perlata), Nilofer (Nymphaea nauchali), Gaozaban (Borago officinalis), Hara Dhania (Coriandrum stivum green leaves ), Hara Ghia (Lagenaria vulgaris) etc. which possessed wholly medicinal properties and from among the fruits his discerning eyes fell on such fruits as orange, pineapple, carrot and watermelon, which contained, higher medicinal qualities

Hakim Abdul Majeed discovered that mixing sugar and extracts from herbs and flowers was less medicine and more refreshing sherbet. It was a hit. The bottles, glass then and plastic now, would fly off the shelves of his small medicine store, which he named Hamdard.

The Preparation: Rooh Afza syrup is generally served mixed with cold milk and ice; the closest Western equivalent is strawberry milk. Rooh Afza is often prepared as part of Iftar (the evening meal for breaking the fast or roza), during Ramadan (the holy month of fasting for Muslims). The concentrate can also be mixed with water, which is a common preparation in the hot summers of the Indian subcontinent. When mixed with water, the final drink is a type of sharbat.

The matchless qualities and merits of Rooh Afza soon brought it to the notice of the people. By its distinctive taste, fragrance, and color, it began not only to attract the common people but also inspired the writers and poets to make it a theme of their creative efforts.?The following verses of Sa’il Dehlvi (given here in their English translation) started appearing in Urdu not only in the advertisements of Rooh Afza but also on the wrapper of its bottle.

The Name: It has not been found out yet how the founder of Hamdard came upon the name 'Rooh Afza’. Some think that this name is the product of his mind. Others express the view that it came from some book of ancient myths and legends. Of such books, one is very famous, the Masnavi Gulzar-e-Nasim which was first published around 1254 hijri. In this book, the name of a character is ‘Rooh Afza’ who, according to the writer, was the daughter of Muzaffar Shah, the king of Firdaus(Heaven).

The Label: Mirza Noor Ahamad, an artist, prepared in 1910 beautiful labels of Rooh Afza in several colours. Such colourful prints could not be had in delhi at that period. It was therefore printed by special arrangement by the Bolton Press of the Parsees of Bombay.

The Unique composition of Rooh Afza: Each dose of 50 ml contains:

• Distillate of Keora 1.75ml
• Distillate of 0.4ml
• Distillate of Citrus aurantifolia 0.03ml
• Distilled extract of :
• Coriandrum stivum(corander/Dhania)
• Daucus carota (carrot/Gajar)
• Portulaca oleracea(garden purslane/Khurafa)
• Spinacea oleracea(Spinach/palak)
• Mentha arvensis(Mint/podina)
• Luffa cylindrical(smooth luffa/Hara ghia)
• Cichorium intybus(Endive/Kasni)
• Vitis vinifera(Dried grapes/Munnaqqa) 2.25ml
• Santalum album white sandal wood(Sandal safed)
• Vetiveria zizanioides(Khas-khas gass khas Hindi)
• Parmelia perlata(Stone flowers/Chhrrhila)
• Nymphaea nauchali(Waterlily/Gul Nilofar)
• Borago officinalis(Burge gaozaban)
• Orange juice 1 ml
• Pineapple juice 3.5ml
• Invert sugar base q.s

Some facts on Rooh Afza:

1. Rooh Afza has been around for over 100 years, with its first production in India dating back to 1907.
2. Rooh Afza is sold in over 40 countries worldwide, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
3. In 2019, Rooh Afza's parent company, Hamdard Laboratories, reported sales of over Rs 700 crore ($97 million USD).
4. According to Hamdard Laboratories, over 6.5 million glasses of Rooh Afza are consumed daily during the summer months in India.
5. Rooh Afza has won several awards for its taste and quality, including the Monde Selection Gold Award in 2018 and the International Quality Award in 2019.
6. The drink has a market share of around 7% in the Indian soft drink industry, making it one of the most popular non-carbonated drinks in the country.
7. The production capacity of Rooh Afza is around 15 million liters per year, with the majority of the production taking place in India.
8. Rooh Afza is sold in various packaging sizes, including 200 ml, 500 ml, and 750 ml bottles, as well as in sachets and tetra packs.
9. The company that produces Rooh Afza, Hamdard Laboratories, has an annual turnover of over Rs. 2,000 crores (around $280 million USD).
10. In India, Rooh Afza is particularly popular during the month of Ramadan, and it is estimated that the company sells around 30 million bottles during this period alone.

Important: The above information contained in the article is purely based on individual research. The images, facts and figures belongs to their respective owners and is shared here for knowledge purposes.?