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Summer is here in full swing, and the temperatures are unlikely to come down anytime soon. Dry, hot winds are not just making our surroundings rough but are also making us feel parched. And while we comfort ourselves in a room with the AC temperature at the minimum, it is also important to keep ourselves properly hydrated from within. The body’s fluid balance should be maintained during this time to beat the heat, especially for those who are venturing out, be it commuting to work or running errands. People who have no way out but spend the whole day outside are bearing the brunt of the scorching heat.
To help tackle the heat, a Delhi couple is offering free rose sharbat to passersby on the road. The young duo took to Instagram to share a video of their initiative, and it has since gone viral on social media. Watch the full video here:
Shared on Instagram Reels by 28-year-old YouTuber @tapshi, the video shows him and his wife, Prachi Goswami, distributing refreshing rose drinks to people struggling in the scathing heat.
The video starts with the duo making a tub full of rose sharbat by mixing Rooh Afza with some milk and ice cubes. The clip further shows how the couple starts to serve the freshly made chilled rose sharbat to passersby in plastic cups, and also offers to fill vessels for others. Kids from the surrounding areas also came forward to help the couple, as they distributed the sharbat. They finished the entire tub of sharbat before the day ended, and concluded by cleaning up the area.
"It's very hot in Delhi nowadays, so we decided to use our off day for some good work. Some kids also helped us out. Lots of people came to drink," they explained in the video. The video also went viral on Instagram Reels, receiving over 900k views and 135k likes until now. Social media users lauded the couple’s effort and also poured in their thoughts in the comments section. "Good work.. plz use paper cups next time instead of plastic," wrote one user while another said, "Such an amazing gesture you guys!"
However, this isn’t the only time that citizens of Delhi have stepped up to do their bit for people suffering amid the heatwaves. While recently a young boy distributed free water bottles to people in the summer season, the Sikh community is known to organise several drives to distribute rose sharbat or Chabeel during the months of May and June. The practice of serving Chabeel is closely tied to the Sikh community’s spirit of seva or volunteering.
Chabeel is a Punjabi word for something sweet and cool. And while it can refer to any cool, sweet drink that is energising, one of the most popular concoctions that people commonly associate with Chabeel is that of rose syrup, milk, water and ice cubes. While the primary reason of distributing Chabeel is to bring respite to people from the heat, Sikhs also commemorate one of their spiritual Gurus Arjun Dev Ji around the same time.
On the other hand, rose sharbat has long been a staple in Indian households. Bottles of Rooh Afza make their way into every Indian kitchen unassumingly and are a staple all through the summer months. While we know how popular rose sharbat is, what exactly is it that makes us crave it even more in summer? Known for their fragrance and exceptional health benefits, rose petals are known to have a mood-lifting and cooling effect on us, while they also come with some medicinal properties.
According to experts, rose sharbat has therapeutic properties and components that make it special. It is also known to reduce stress and anxiety and calm minds, thanks to its cooling properties. Moreover, the fibre in the rose helps keep the bowel movement going smoothly, and its anti-inflammatory properties keep problems like bloating and acidity at bay. Besides that, it is also believed that the antioxidant properties help reduce ageing spots, wrinkles and fine lines on the skin.
Isn’t it amazing how a simple mix of rose syrup with water or milk can do wonders for our body.
