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The hookah’s (nargile, huka, hooka) history is buried in mystery. Historians think hookah began in India in the 1500s with the invention of the hookah pipe. However, whether the hookah was created in India, Egypt, Iran, or Turkey is a source of debate.

According to legend, the hookah was developed by an Iranian physician who was concerned about Indian noblemen smoking tobacco. He constructed the water pipe in the hopes of making it clean and safe to use. The hookah grew in popularity across the country and became a status symbol.

The Hookah was created in an attempt to purify smoke by using water in a glass base called a “Shisha.” Hookah quickly established itself as a method for noblemen to demonstrate their social position.

A standard hookah is made up of numerous parts, each of which is essential for a great hookah experience.

The bowl, also known as the hookah head, is the highest component of the hookah, and it is here that the coal and tobacco are held during the smoking session. Then there’s the tray, the stem, the release valve, the hose gasket, the hose port (where the hose goes in), the hose, the vase gasket, and the vase (water base), in that sequence.

A windscreen is used on certain hookahs to protect the bowl area and prevent the wind from spoiling your hookah experience by causing the coal to burn too rapidly.

Hookah in India

The earliest hookah was created in India from a coconut shell and tube, not the vases we have today. In Turkey, the design grew considerably more ornate, giving rise to the modern hookah aesthetic. It became a popular component of social events in Turkish coffee cafes.

The advent of cigarettes harmed the hookah, although it has recently regained favor, notably in America. Hookah bars, similar to Turkish coffee shops with hookahs, providing a gathering space for friends to enjoy the hookah.

Hookah in 20th Century

Hookah traditions grew stronger in India, Persia, Turkey, the Middle East, and adjacent nations including Israel, Armenia, and Pakistan over the twentieth century. By the late 1900s, however, hookah had spread to almost every continent, as immigrants from these nations carried the habit with them to share a piece of their culture with the new world.

Today, in the United States and across the world, hookah is still regarded as a means to show respect and give excellent hospitality, just as it was hundreds of years ago. Family members, close friends, and new acquaintances gather around a hookah to strengthen bonds, in the same manner, they have for centuries. Hookah is part of a large community that draws people together from all walks of life, regardless of socioeconomic status, religion, or political convictions. While hookah has evolved throughout time, the technique remains firmly ingrained in tradition.