Rooh Afza Indian or Pakistani drink? Know journey of cult summer drink, its history, how it's made

Rooh Afza is one of the most popular drinks for refreshments in India. Many people have their childhood memories of summer associated with Rooh Afza and its rosy taste. The story of this drink began before India gained independence. Rooh Afza, now 116 years old, was started in 1907 by Hakim Abdul Majeed, an expert in Unani medicine. He prepared a special drink in his medicine room in Old Delhi and named it Rooh Afza as it is now known. 

The inspiration from Rooh Afza came from the scorching heat as Hakeem Abdul Majeed prepared a sherbet that saves people from heat stroke. 

How was Rooh Afza made?

Hakim Abdul Majeed was an expert in Unani medicines and was preparing a drink to save people from heatstroke when Rooh Afza was made. He prepared drinks from many Greek and indigenous things. Many Greek herbs were used in the preparation of Rooh Afza. Many things including chixar, grapes, oranges, watermelon, rose, and kewra were used to make it.

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In the initial period, Rooh Afza was available in the dispensary, and people used to go and buy it in utensils. Rooh Afza's logo was designed in 1910. After the death of Hakim Abdul Majeed, his sons Abdul Hameen and Mohammad Saeed took over the company.

The partition of India and the formation of Pakistan also plays a role in the journey of Rooh Afza. While Hakim Abdul Majeed's eldest son chose to stay in India, his younger brother Mohammad Saeed went to Pakistan. To start another Rooh Afza factory, he started its production by taking two rooms on rent in Karachi. However, Rooh Afza, which was prepared in India, got the most popularity.

The Rooh Afza bottle was designed in Germany. Earlier it was introduced in a glass bottle, later it was changed to plastic.

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The journey of Rooh Afza started in India and continued here, but there came a year when the production of the company was badly affected due to an interruption in the import of raw materials. Its stock decreased in India in 2019. 

According to the report of Startup Sky, even though the relations between India and Pakistan are not good, the bottles of Rooh Afza come from Pakistan and the entire preparation of the drink is done in India. If seen in this way, it is an Indian drink.

Rooh Afza gradually launched many products in the market. Products like Safi, Pachnaul, and Rogan Badam Shirin were included in this. Its first factory was set up in 1940 in Old Delhi. Then production started in Ghaziabad in 1971 and a new plant was set up in Manesar, Gurugram in 2014.