Patanjali’s public takedown of Dabur’s Chyawanprash just hit a legal wall. The Delhi High Court has issued an interim order instructing the Ayurvedic giant to immediately remove ads that cast aspersions on Dabur’s flagship product.
The legal fireworks began when Dabur dragged Patanjali to court, claiming its rival had launched a smear campaign—complete with founder Baba Ramdev front and center—accusing other Chyawanprash brands of lacking real Ayurvedic roots. In one video, Ramdev delivers a pointed barb: “How can those unfamiliar with Ayurveda and the Vedas create an ‘original’ Chyawanprash in the tradition of Charak, Sushrut, Dhanwantari, and Chyawan Rishi?”
The implication wasn’t subtle. Dabur, which commands more than 60% of India’s Chyawanprash market, took offense at references to “ordinary” 40-herb formulations—an apparent dig at their own recipe, proudly marketed as containing over 40 herbs. Dabur called foul, alleging Patanjali’s ad amounts to a three-pronged attack: misrepresenting its own ingredients, questioning Dabur’s Ayurvedic authenticity, and painting its product as inferior.
But it didn’t stop at hurt egos and marketing jabs. Dabur raised serious concerns that the ad could mislead consumers and stir up unnecessary health fears, all while undermining trust in a traditional medicine governed by tight regulations under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. According to Dabur, calling their Chyawanprash “ordinary” wasn’t just unfair—it was dangerous and deceptive.
Adding fuel to the fire, Dabur pointed to the Supreme Court’s earlier scolding of Patanjali for airing similarly dubious health claims. They argued the company was becoming a repeat offender, shrugging off previous court warnings.
With the matter now before the court, Justice Mini Pushkarna ruled in Dabur’s favor—at least for now. Though a detailed order is yet to be published, the immediate directive is clear: Patanjali must pull the plug on its disparaging campaign.
Legal heavyweights flanked both sides in the courtroom: Dabur fielded Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi and team, while Patanjali was represented by Senior Advocates Rajiv Nayar and Jayant Mehta, supported by a battery of lawyers.
For now, Patanjali’s war of words against Dabur’s “40+ herbs” has been muted. But the courtroom clash between Ayurveda’s two titans is far from over.
