Ramdev's Rose Sharbat

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 11 April 2025 Yoga guru Ramdev has triggered fresh controversy by using the term “SharbatJihad” in a viral video, where he claimed that a company selling Sharbat is using its earnings to build mosques and madrasas, while promoting Patanjali’s rose Sharbat. The video was shared by ‘Patanjali Products’ on Facebook with a caption in Hindi, which, when translated, read, “Protect your family and innocent children from the poison of toilet cleaner being sold under the name of ‘Sharbat Jihad’ and cold drinks. Bring home only Patanjali Sharbat and juices.” To promote your product(s), is it essential to cast aspersions on the products of your rival companies? This is outright unethical. And you call yourself a baba and swami! Though Ramdev may not have categorically mentioned the name of the rival brand, people have got a whiff of the company he is alluding to. Public memory is short. Readers may have forgotten. But jog your memory. Nearly a decade ago when the current political dispensation was just elected to power, this man condemned Hamdard's Rooh Afza. There's no gainsaying the fact that Hamdard's Rooh Afza is the cleanest, purest and best natural sorbet available in the Indian market that simply doesn't use any chemicals. Hamdard has its own nursery where all the plants, flowers and roots are grown in a completely organic manner. Rooh Afza has been a household name in India for over a century. On the contrary, almost all the products of Patanjali are dubious and adulterated. Not long ago, he was reprimanded by the Apex Court and the Medical association of India for making outlandish claims about his substandard products. Now everything made and owned by Muslims is under the radar in a resurgent Hindu India. All Babas have their products in the market. That rapist Asaram also sold soaps, creams, pastes and what not. Sissy (sorry, Sri Sri) Ravi Shankar and Jaggi have launched their products and devout Hindus are buying and using them. Hindu Babas are abusing Muslims without any fear. The Hindu government is looking askance and letting these 'spiritual' rogues operate with impunity. Jay Ho! In a lighter vein, if at all you want to try Patanjali's rose Sharbat, check it thoroughly, he might add drops of Gao Mutra (urine of a cow) to it! En passant, the term 'Sharbat' comes from the Persian word Sharbat (شربت), meaning a drink of sugar and water. This in turn came from the Arabic word Shariba, " to drink." Since Ramdev hates all that's associated with Islam and Muslims and he also criticised Urdu a few years ago, will he coin a new Hindi and 'Hindu' word for Sharbat or retain the Persian term? I'm curious. Aren't you also? Lastly, even Gulab (Rose) is a Persian word: Gul+Aab (Gul : Generic word for flower or the name for 'rose' ; Aab: Water) ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/ramdev-rose-sharbat-rooh-afza/d/135126 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism