1. A smoke chamber, or base which is partially filled with water

• A bowl that contains tobacco and the heating source
• A pipe that connects the bowl to the base and dips into the water in the base
• A hose (second tube) in the pipe that doesn’t dip into the water but opens up into the air in the base allowing the user to inhale the smoke

2. The history of hookah is extensive and interesting. Rudimentary hookahs got their origins in the North West part of India almost one thousand years ago. They were simple, primitive and rugged in design. The base was usually made from a coconut shell. Initially they were created to smoke opium and hashish.

3. During the mughal reign (1500’s), hakim abul fath, a physician, invented a modern version of the hookah. He felt there was a need for a hookah that would promise to be safer to use than the original version. As well as being a physician he was known to have unique knowledge of philosophy, logic and other secular sciences. Hakim abul fath believed that smoke should first pass through a “filter”. He devised a small receptacle of water that smoke could pass through, therefore rendering it harmless.

The use of hookah from ancient times was a custom. The invention transformed a custom into a prestigious pastime. Rich and landed classes were often seen hookah smoking in a hookah bar, cafe or lounge.

One the South West coast of India in koyilandy, yemini merchants had taken up residence there at around the time fath improved on the hookah. They expanded on fath’s hookah and blended it with the original coconut shell design. This creation impressed yemini traders and soon became known as koyilandy hookah. They were ornately designed with attractive motifs. They soon coined it the malabar hookah these are still very popular today in the gulf countries.

The hookah made its way through the Persian kingdom. This included Pakistan, Afghanistan, much of Middle Asia and Northern Africa on its journey through Persia (Iran) it acquired tombeik (a dark tobacco) also known as hookah tobacco. Hookahs designed in the Persian empire were handcrafted from a piece of wood.    

When the hookah was introduced in Turkey, there was a surge of popularity among the upper class and intellectuals. They took the design and increased its size and complexity. Designs today are similar to the turkish hookahs. Brass & glass were added to the design and less wood. Intricate artwork and mosaics were added for elegance and beauty.

The popularity grew into hookah coffee shops about 250 years ago. The hookah bar waiter was treated like a chef due to the preparation required for smoking. Packing the tobacco and ensuring the correct moisture was a skill and it was considered rude to the touch the coals.

Hookahs migrated from Turkey to lebanon and syria where it got the name “argile”. It then spread to Egypt and morocco. There, it took on the name shisha. It is also known as the Hubble Bubble in Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

From there, the hookah made its way to Southeast Asia & Europe. Most hookah smoking nations serve naklia shisha (or shisha). There is a combination of foreign tobaccos, honey molasses and dried fruit. The smoke is filtered through ice cold water to make the smoke cool and soothing. Older generations smoked hashish and opium which assisted in creating a negative stigma for the hookahs used today.

Today, the hookah (hooka) is accepted as a form of pipe smoking. It’s been growing in popularity and has made its way into almost every country around the world.