The story
Rooh Afza, roughly 'refresher of the soul', was created in 1906 by Hakim Hafiz Abdul Majeed, who ran Hamdard, a small Unani herbal medicine shop in Lal Kuan in Old Delhi. He blended rose, fruit juices and cooling herbs into a sweet syrup to help Delhi's people cope with the scorching summer winds and heat stroke. Some accounts say it was formulated in nearby Ghaziabad. A Delhi artist designed its colourful label a few years later. After Partition in 1947, one son stayed in India and another founded Hamdard in Pakistan, so the syrup became a summer and Ramadan staple across South Asia.
Rival claims
Wikipedia says it was formulated in nearby Ghaziabad (about 20 km east) and launched from Old Delhi; most accounts name the Hamdard shop in Old Delhi's Lal Kuan.
Also known as Roohafza, Rooh Afzah, روح افزا, रूह अफ़ज़ा.
On the Meridish menu
Rooh Afza was the aperitif course on menu No. 12 on October 12, 2026. Its clue in the game, which hints at the place without naming it:
A ruby syrup of rose, herbs and fruit, stirred into milk or water. A herbal medicine shop in this city's old quarter created it in 1906 to beat the summer heat.
In Meridish, every dish is pinned to the town or city most widely credited with creating it. A guess within 25 km scores all 100 points. How scoring works.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooh_Afza
- theprint.in/india/how-old-delhis-roohafza-became-summer-drink-of-choice-before-going-missing-this-ramzan/233112
Food history is often disputed. Think we've pinned it in the wrong place? Tell us at hello@meridish.com, ideally with a source.
