‘Bring back Rooh Afza’ online chorus echoes in city

For the past couple of months, shops across the country haven’t been receiving the usual supply of the drink because the parent company, Hamdard, is under legal dispute, say reports.

“Summer, especially Ramzan, is when many Indian Muslim families purchase these bottles to serve chilled drinks during the Iftar feast. The delicious herbal drink has been around for a century but this is the first time we don’t have enough to sell,” says Ahmed.

Twitteratti too have been expressing their disappointment as well over a Ramzan sans Rooh Afza. Actor-politician Khushbu Sundar addresses this “major crisis” by saying, “Oh no, but why? I am upset.” Another user wrote, “My father is refusing to break his fast because my ummi (mother) can’t make Rooh Afza.” To comfort fans of the drink, even Pakistanis volunteered to step in. Hamdard’s CEO in the neighbouring country tweeted, “We can supply Rooh Afza to India during this Ramzan. We can easily send trucks through Wagah border if permitted by the Indian Government.”

Fahd Khaleel Wallajah, a member of the Nawab of Arcot family, shares fond memories he has of the drink. “Back when I would come home from school, we would gulp down a glass of chilled Rooh Afza especially during the summer. It was so refreshing,” he recalls. “To date, it is served in many mosques across the city for Iftar, along with the nombu kanji, dates and vadas.”

The deficit has given rise to various conspiracy theories. Asks a social media user, “Does the Rooh Afza shortage have to do with Narendra Modi trying to promote Patanjali’s Gulab Sharbat by making the former disappear from the market?”

On Wednesday, officials from the Rs. 400-crore century-old enterprise said, “Dear patrons, we are overwhelmed with the love shown for your favourite summer drink,” indicating that production will be back to normal within a fortnight.