What Exactly is a Hookah?

The hookah has a protracted and storied history. Also known variously as a hubble-bubble, narghile, shisha, or water pipe, among other names, hookahs have been used for a mellow tobacco smoking expertise in Asia and the Center East for centuries. Coming to the Center East from India, the hookah started out as a humble coconut shell. In Turkey, it advanced into the true hookah, changing into a mainstay of coffee house life in the course of the seventeenth century. Hookah smoking is still very common in cafes and restaurants all through the Center East.

Many rituals, of preparation, lighting, and smoking etiquette, surround the usage of the hookah. Individuals gathered in the coffee houses to smoke together, exchanging news and tales—or just sharing quiet, meditative time. Recalling a more relaxed and unhurried past, hookahs conjure tales of journeys alongside the Nile, lengthy nights in exotically scented gardens, the spice of the bazaar, and the sinuous music of the belly dance.

Hookahs had been smoked by girls gathered for tea, by students engaging in intellectual discussion, men playing games of chance, and simple gatherings of friends for enjoyment and relaxation. Providing a guest a puff at the house hookah, or narghile, was a sign of welcome and hospitality. Relatively than a habit of nervousness, as many might classify the cigarette, the hookah is an entry to tranquility and reflection. It’s a connection to the past and an oasis of civilized fellowship within the frenetic present.

With such an extended history, it’s not shocking that the craftsmanship in a hookah approaches the level of art; most hookahs are exquisitely detailed and beautiful. At one time, each part of the hookah was produced by a craftsman specifically trained to produce just that piece. Materials used included silver, crystal, and amber. When you add within the centuries of tradition and ritual in which the hookah is steeped, it’s straightforward to see that this historic water pipe represents the nexus of a singular and luxuriant expertise in smoke and social interaction—and why it’s becoming so standard in the West.

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