Rooh Afza

History

Rooh Afza was founded by Hamdard's founder Hakim Hafiz Abdul Majeed in Old Delhi, British India. In 1906, he wanted to create a 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 dehydration in people. An artist, Mirza Noor Ahmad, designed the labels of Rooh Afza in many colours in 1910. Progress in development and refining the original recipe continued all along until the final drink emerged.

After Majeed's death 15 years later, his wife Rabea Begum established a charitable trust in the name of herself and her two sons.

Following the partition of India in 1947, while the elder son, Hakim Abdul Hameed, stayed in independent India – the younger son, Hakim Mohammad Saeed, migrated to the newly created state of Pakistan on 9 January 1948 and started a separate Hamdard Company from two rooms in the 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. According to Hakim Mohammad Said's daughter, Sadia Rashid, chairperson of Hamdard Pakistan in 2019, her father gifted the business to the people of Bangladesh after their independence from Pakistan in 1971.

In 2010, chef Nita Mehta and Indian film actress Juhi Chawla were hired for promotional activities by Hamdard Laboratories to create new mocktail and dessert recipes for Rooh Afza, their all-season summer drink, which was used in a new marketing campaign.

Ingredients

Its original formulation included:

• Herbs:
  • Deepak ("khurfa seeds", Portulaca oleracea)
  • Chicory
  • Wine-grape raisins (Vitis vinifera)
  • European white lily (Nymphaea alba)
  • Blue star water lily (Nymphaea nouchali)
  • Lotus (nelumbo)
  • Borage
  • coriander
  • Rosemary
• Fruits:
  • Orange
  • Citron
  • Pineapple
  • Apple
  • Berries
  • Strawberry
  • Raspberry
  • Loganberry
  • Blackberry
  • Cherry
  • Concord grapes
  • Blackcurrant
  • Watermelon
• Vegetables:
  • Spinach
  • Carrot
  • Mint
  • Sponge gourd (Luffa aegyptiaca)
• Flowers:
  • Rose
  • Kewra (Pandanus fascicularis)
  • Lemon
  • Orange
• Roots:
  • Vetiver (Chrysopogon zizanioides)

Preparation

Rooh Afza syrup is generally served mixed with cold milk or water and ice. Rooh Afza is often prepared as part of Iftar (the evening meal for breaking the fast or roza), during Ramadan. The concentrate can also be mixed with water, which is a common preparation in the hot South Asian summers. When mixed with water, the final drink is a type of sharbat. Rooh Afza syrup is often mixed with Kulfi ice cream and vermicelli to make a similar version of the popular Iranian dessert Faloodeh.

Controversies

Lawsuit & fines in Bangladesh

On the complaint of false information, misleading advertisements and publication of false information on the web site, Safe Food Inspector Kamrul Hassan filed a case against Hamdard Laboratories Bangladesh on May 30, 2018. In the case, he mentions that the information published in the advertisement with 'Rooh Afza made with 35 fruit juice' is not correct. On June 12 of the same year, Pure food court judge AFM Maruf Chowdhury fined the company four lakhs taka for publishing misleading advertisements. If unable to pay the fine, then the Hamdard chairman and managing director would be punished for three months' imprisonment.

Allegations of 'Sharbat Jihad'

In 2025, Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Foods Limited circulated advertisements alleging Rooh Afza to promote "sharbat jihad" i.e undermining Hindu culture & fostering Muslim takeover of the land by construction of mosques & madrasas by the beverage's Muslim owners (as acts of charity) financed by the sales of the beverage raised from Hindus. Hamdard India filed a defamation case in the Delhi High Court against Patanjali, which ordered that the advertisements be immediately pulled down.

Variants

Hamdard Laboratories India has launched two ready to drink variants in India namely RoohAfza Fusion and RoohAfza Milkshake.

In Pakistan, one of the ready-to-drink variants, called the Rooh Afza Go, is available in a can form. In addition a drink commonly prepared by parents for kids in Pakistan, is now available as a product from Hamdard Laboratories (Waqf) Pakistan, called the Doodh (milk) Rooh Afza. It is essentially Rooh Afza flavored milk, packaged in a 225ml milk carton.

References

References

1. (19 May 2018). "Rooh Afza: the eternal elixir of the east". Aurora.
2. (2019-05-11). "In British India, Rooh Afza lovers rejoice as the drink returns to shelves in time for Ramadan".
3. link. (7 November 2018[https://www.hamdard.com.pk/] {{Webarchive). link. (26 May 2018 Introduction-history Hamdard Rooh Afza)
4. (2019-05-08). "How Hamdard's Ruby-Hued Refresher Became an Indian Summer Staple".
5. [https://www.news18.com/news/india/family-rift-behind-disappearance-of-favourite-summer-drink-rooh-afza-but-company-denies-2133949.html Family Rift Behind Disappearance of Favourite Summer Drink Rooh Afza, But Company Denies] {{Webarchive. link. (7 November 2020 NEWS 18 INDIA website, Published 9 May 2019, Retrieved 4 May 2020)
6. H. Panda. (February 2023). "Handbook on Ayurvedic Medicines with Formulae, Processes and Their Uses". National Institute of Industrial Research.
7. "Rooh Afza History English".
8. (7 July 2021). "Across Borders and Divides, One Heavenly Refresher Cools Summer Heat". [[The New York Times]].
9. (28 June 2010). "Hamdard gives century-old Rooh Afza a facelift". [[Hindustan Times]].
10. {{usurped
11. [http://zeenews.india.com/home/roohafza-reigns-supreme-in-pakistan-during-ramzan_400630.html Roohafza reigns supreme in Pakistan during Ramzan] {{Webarchive. link. (16 December 2017 ZEE TV News website, Published 12 October 2007, Retrieved 26 April 2020)
12. (May 31, 2018). "The case against Ruh Afza". [[Jago News]].
13. (May 31, 2018). "'Ruh Afza' fined four lakh taka". Bangla Tribune.
14. Desk, DH Web. (2025-04-10). "'Sharbat Jihad': Ramdev accuses soft drink brand of building mosques with sales returns".
15. (2025-04-10). "Sharbat jihad: Baba Ramdev claims juice funds used to build mosques, madrasas".
16. Singh, Soibam Rocky. (2025-04-22). "Delhi High Court orders Patanjali to take down 'communal' video on rival firm's product". The Hindu.
17. "Hamdard Laboratories India launches 'ready to drink' RoohAfza Fusion and RoohAfza Milkshake".
18. (June 17, 2020). "Hamdard Laboratories India forays into 'ready-to-drink' segment with RoohAfza Fusion and RoohAfza Milkshake".
19. "FNB News - Hamdard forays into 'ready to drink' with RoohAfza Fusion and Milkshake {{!}} FNB News".
20. "RoohAfza Fusion: Hamdard Laboratories India enters ready-to-drink segment".
21. "Rooh Afza Go".
22. "Doodh Rooh Afza".