For generations, Rooh Afza has been a popular drink in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. Especially in the month of Ramadan, this red-colored drink can be seen in grocery stores and pharmacies. Although it is known as sharbat in present days, this drink has a legacy of more than 100 years, and once upon a time, it used to be an Unani medicine.
Despite being a popular drink in Bangladesh, many of us don’t know that the Rooh Afza is manufactured by Hamdard Bangladesh. Although it has been manufactured for a long time in Bangladesh, Hamdard Bangladesh doesn’t
have any unique presence in the market. That’s why many thought it’s just a random local Bangladeshi company. However, the history of Rooh Afza and Hamdard is quite older than Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan.
History
The inception of Hamdard was basically in Delhi, India. Hamdard’s founder, Hakim Hafiz Abdul Majeed, was born in Pelivet, India, in 1883. In his earlier educational life, he fully memorized the holy Quran and later concentrated on learning the Persian language. After gathering linguistic-related knowledge, he earned his highest degree in Unani medicine.
In 1906, he founded Hamdard to provide Unani treatment to Delhi’s people. The word Hamdard is a combination of two Persian words, “Ham” and “Dard,” which means “A partner who can help to relieve the pain.” At that time,
with several types of Unani medicines, he used to give treatment to his patients for several diseases. Besides, he also made several herbs and Unani medicine for different diseases. While making this type of medicine in 1907, Hakim Abdul Majeed created a new syrup that had several herbs and a mixture of fruits. He tried to create this thick
red-colored syrup as an Unani medicine for the treatment of diseases like heat stroke, dehydration, and diarrhea and named it “Rooh Afza”. This drink became very popular in India because it was very tasty to drink with cold water or milk, which can reduce stress in summer.
