A Glimpse on the History of Hookah

With the growing popularity of hookahs, it becomes more than relevant to take a few steps back and peek at how this fascinating smoking method emerged. Indeed, the history of hookahs is both interesting and extensive.

The first hookahs traced their origins in India about one thousand years ago. Given the resources available then, they were primitive, simple and rough in design. Initially, there were made in order to smoke hashish and opium.

During the 1500's however, a modern version of hookah was invented by a Mughal ruler who felt the need for a hookah that would be safer to use than the original version. For this, he added a small receptacle of water that allows the smoke to pass, thus making it harmless. As a result of this invention, what used to be an ancient custom became a prestigious pastime.

Hookah then reached the Persian Kingdom, and on its journey, acquired tombeik, which is now known as hookah tobacco. The hookah created here was especially handcrafted from wood. Later, when introduced in Turkey, hookah experienced a great surge of popularity among the rich and the intellectuals. The Turks enhanced the hookah's design and increased its complexity and size.

When hookah migrated from Turkey to Syria and Lebanon, it acquired its name "argile". As it reached Egypt and Morocco meanwhile, it took the name "shisha". In Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, it is known as "hubble bubble". These Arab nations serve Naklia shisha, a combination of foreign tobaccos, honey molasses and dried fruit.

Today, hookah is widely accepted as a form of pipe smoking and is continuously growing in popularity in every part of the world.