Hamdard Rooh Afza 800ml

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She and her family members ate a handful of dates to end the fast and then had rounds of the sweet viscous drink mixed with milk to quench their thirst. Hakim Majeed could not have known on that summer day in 1907 that in 40 years, India as he knew it would cease to exist, as the subcontinent was cleaved in two and his own family was split between India and the new country of Pakistan. He could not have guessed that his work would survive the bloodshed of partition. That in the decades to come, Rooh Afza would travel far beyond the lanes of Old Delhi to 37 countries. That in the alchemy of his simple ingredients was the beginnings of a scarlet empire. ‘The King paints the globe red’ Several distributors and wholesale dealers confirmed to Al Jazeera that there was a shortage of Rooh Afza in the Indian market.

Herbs: Rooh Afza combines a number of different herbs, including coriander, lotus, blue star water, spearmint, kewra, European white lily, and sandalwood. Mohammad Ishrat nods in agreement with Ms Begum. The 28-year-old lives in the old part of the city and is a regular visitor to the mosque for iftar.Hakim Abdul Majeed named this drink Rooh Afza – the soul refresher. He used distillates of herbs, fruits, flowers and vegetables to make a concentrate that was mixed with water or another liquid and consumed. It is believed to have had up to 21 ingredients known for their cooling properties, including sandalwood, vetiver, purslane, screw pine, mint, spinach, and the heady rose.

I used to do a business of at least 100 bottles every day, but now it is down to just 35 to 40 bottles. I hope the company takes necessary measures so that the supply is maintained and our daily income is not hit.” Pakistan offers help Rabia Begum’s younger son, Mohammed Said, was inspired by the Muslim League, a political party advocating for the separate Muslim state of Pakistan and freedom from British colonial rule. He wanted to become a journalist, but his older brother Abdul Hameed convinced him to study medicine. In 1940, as the Muslim League was passing a resolution demanding independence, Mohammed Said graduated with a degree in eastern medicine. By 1948, while his brother remained at the helm of the company in India, Said migrated to Pakistan, with the plan to set up Hamdard there too. He brought with him his father’s formula for Rooh Afza. Two advertisements for Rooh Afza from the Illustrated Weekly of India, from 1977 (left) and 1980. Both seem to refer to competitors and stress that there is ‘nothing like’ Rooh Afza [Al Jazeera] However, because this preservative is present in most foods, you may consume more of it undesirably, which can have negative health effects. 3. Use of synthetic food colors During Ramzan, the value of this drink rises to a new level for all of us. After a long day of fasting, this syrup in cold water is precisely what you need. During Ramzan in 2019, India was running out of Rooh Afza. People from Pakistan aided in the transport of this history-infused drink to India at the time. Vegetables: Rooh Afza is not only tasty, but also has many health benefits, because there are many vegetables used in its creation. This includes mint, carrots and spinach.We make the drink in big cauldrons and tumblers and keep drinking it between iftar and suhoor. We have a family of 12 and we finish up to four to five bottles in a week, my children, nieces and nephews like it. I add mangoes, lemon juice and even milk,” Ms Begum said. When Hakim Majeed passed away in 1922, his wife Rabia Begum managed his clinic’s work for a few years until her eldest son, Abdul Hameed, took over. She declared Hamdard a waqf, an Islamic charitable trust, wherein all profits would go towards public welfare. Remember that sugar-free Rooh Afza still contains notable calories and may not provide the same energy level as the regular version. He understood that if you create a habit in them, they’ll carry it for life. Rooh Afza would become their brand.” One of the most popular drinks in the Indian subcontinent is Rooh Afza. The translation of the name is "to nourish the soul" and the ingredients in the syrup seem to do just that!It was originally developed in India in 1906. Rooh Afza is typically used as a drink syrup or in traditional indian desserts and is very popular in the eastern part of the world.The taste of the syrup is very unique and is said to have a cooling effect on the body which is why it is such a popular summer drink.

As Rooh afza is not directly consumed and you don't take sugar all day during Ramadan, I think Rooh Afza sharbat may not cause any health issues. But if anyone takes it frequently on a regular basis, that's a concern," said Professor Dr. Sohel Reza Choudhury, head of the Department of Epidemiology and Research at the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute. The main and famous benefit of Rooh Afza is their cooling effect, It helps to get relaxation on very hot summer days by giving a chilling benefit to your body and you feel good and relaxed from the warming environment. Side Effects of Rooh Afza In 1908, in the bylanes of Old Delhi, Hakim Hafiz Abdul Majeed decided to create a herbal mix that would help Delhi’s masses stay cool in summer. Selecting herbs and syrups from traditional Unani medicine, he created a drink that would help counter heat strokes, bring down palpitations and prevent water loss. He named it Rooh Afza, which in Urdu literally meant something that refreshes the soul. The exact recipe of the concoction has been kept a family secret and has not changed in the past 115 years, the makers claim.

According to Hamdard Laboratories, over 6.5 million glasses of Rooh Afza are consumed daily during the summer months in India. Hakeem Abdul Majeed established a small clinic in 1906 to produce Unani medicines and named his venture ‘Hamdard’ [Bilal Kuchay/Al Jazeera] Manik also shared that the anti-imperialist movement was a factor too in popularising the drink. When the British used to have wine in different gatherings, Muslims would refrain. From the anti-imperialist idealism, Hakeem Abdul Majeed wanted a colourful drink that would be India's own. Shabana Khan, right, makes Rooh Afza in big cauldrons to serve to her family at iftar. Taniya Dutta / The National

However, you can drink the sugar-free variant as it does not have added sugar and has moderate fiber. Fiber helps in improving gut health and also promotes weight loss.They figured out that Rooh Afza could be mass marketed and could be promoted as a thirst quencher and refresher ... at one point in time, they used pamphlets that were literally thrown in the air so that they could reach the maximum number of people,” he said. A few decades later, Abdul Majeed decided to turn this medicament into a drink. The reception to the first batch ever made of Rooh Afza was an indicator of its future.