How Samahan Became a Global Sensation

When supermodel Naomi Campbell divulged the essential items in her Fendi handbag to Vogue last year, it contained iPods, lavender oil, mints, and a hydrating mist. But among the coveted goods, she also pulled out a golden sachet, a “good tea for your immune system”: Samahan. The herbal drink purportedly soothes everything from colds to sore throats and has global fans, from Campbell to Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, who brought a cup out for a coughing audience member on his game show, Kaun Banega Crorepati.

In just under three decades, Samahan has become a cult favorite, with people taking a sachet at the faintest hints of illness. In a world teeming with natural remedies, how did this one concoction become so popular?