The Supreme Court on Wednesday provided relief to Rooh Afza by declining to entertain a plea against the Delhi High Court order. The high court had restrained the manufacture and sale of ‘Sharbat Dil Afza,’ a sweet beverage concentrate, during the pendency of the lawsuit of Hamdard Dawakhana for alleged trademark infringement.
The bench headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud declined to interfere with the high court’s decision passed in December last year.
History of herbal drink
Rooh Afza has a rich history that dates back to 1906 when Hakim Hafiz Abdul Majeed, the founder of Hamdard, created the herbal drink. It was launched from Old Delhi with the intention of helping people stay cool during summers by preventing water loss.
The drink was created by selecting herbs and syrups from unani medicines. Majeed, who held the highest degree in the Unani system of medicine, set up an herbal shop at House Qazi in Delhi in the same year. The label of Rooh Afza was created by an artist named Mirza Noor Ahmad in 1910.
After the partition of India in 1947, Majeed’s elder son, Hakim Abdul Hameed, decided to stay in India, whereas Majeed’s younger son, Hakim Mohammad Said, migrated to Pakistan and set up a separate company in Karachi. Later, Hamdard Pakistan set up a company in Bangladesh. In India, Rooh Afza is manufactured by Hamdard Laboratories.
Who currently manufactures Rooh Afza?
Rooh Afza is currently manufactured by Hamdard Laboratories, India, Hamdard Laboratories Pakistan, and Hamdard Laboratories Bangladesh.
The herbal drink becomes high in demand during Ramzan and the summer season as it helps people stay cool. It is mixed with water to make ‘Sharbat’ and is also mixed with kulfi ice cream, lassi, etc.
In 2019, markets witnessed a shortage of Rooh Afza due to the lesser availability of herbs needed for the herbal drink.
