Hookah Bars Are Cropping Up All Over the Globe
Hookah, Narguila, Hubbly Bubbly, Shisha: A Water Pipe By Any Other Name
In India, as well as the Middle East, hookahs have been used for hundreds of years. Recently, they are becoming more and more popular all over the world in places as diverse as Asia, North and South America and South Africa. You will be surprised where you can find a hookah.
A hookah is a type of water pipe that is used for the smoking of tobacco, although, it has been used for marijuana and opium as well. Other names for a hookah include narguila, shisha, hubbly bubbly or just plain water pipe. Which name is used primarily will depend upon where you are. In North America, for example, hookah is the name most commonly used.
Hookahs first came into being in India in the 1500s. They were invented by a doctor from Baghdad who was concerned about the health effects of smoking tobacco, which had recently been introduced to the country. His belief was that the water would filter any impurities from the tobacco.
Hookahs were very fashionable in India at that time, particularly with the upper class. Over time, they had become less and less popular, however, they are now experiencing a resurgence. Often, other substances will be smoked by young people using hookahs, such as herbs or molasses.
In many Arab countries in the Middle East, as well as in Israel, the hookah is very much a part of their culture. Not only are hookahs smoked in bars and cafes, but they are often part of family get togethers or simply smoked after a family meal.
Getting a hookah ready for smoking is an easy affair. Tobacco is placed in the bowl at the top of the hookah. Often, a small piece of aluminum foil will be stretched over the top and then perforated. A heated charcoal is then placed atop the foil. Underneath the bowl is the jar containing enough water to submerge the bottom of a tube inside the jar.
To smoke, you inhale through a hose which is attached to the top of the jar. Air passes through the charcoal and the tobacco thus producing smoke which then goes down through the tube thus being cooled off by the water. As the smoke rises up to the hose, it is inhaled by the smoker which creates a change in air pressure, continuing the pull of air through the tobacco.
Often, hookahs have multiple hoses attached so that they can be used socially. If you smoke at a teahouse or bar, you will likely see this type, as people often go to these places to smoke in groups. In some countries, young people who are not allowed to buy cigarettes are permitted to smoke from hookahs, thus making them quite popular.
Currently, places to smoke from a hookah are springing up all over the world. In some cases, this is due to expatriates from other countries setting up an establishment in a tourist location. There are even tearooms and bars in Cusco, Peru where a selection of hookahs can be found. If you are curious to try smoking with a hookah, you will not have any trouble finding a place to do so wherever you find yourself.
There are a lot of people trying to find a healthy alternatie to smoking a ciggy. If you are one of them, you may want to look up hookah and learn more about hookah tobacco
