Hookahs - An Exotic Status Symbol

My aunt is an interior designer and sometimes when I’m free, she would ask me to accompany her to her client’s place. She would say renovating a house is not about throwing away the old stuff and bringing in new decorations. It’s about using the existing accessories and combining a few new decorations to reflect the style and personality of the owner. I think she does the interiors quite well because some people even trust her with expensive antiques. It’s during these visits I came across hookahs in a very traditionally decorated house. There were three different hookahs placed on a three-step ladder-like furniture. One was made of brass with a polished shine, the second one was of earthen material and the third one of glass. I was so fixated on the spot admiring the set that I didn’t realise when it was time to leave. I came back home and started searching about hookahs online .

History

Smoking water pipe is a cultural tradition in the Middle East and Arab world. And there used to be multiple gatherings where people had social smoking events. It is said that the concept of hookah originated in India during the rule of Mughals. Initially it was used by the king in the court and hence became a status symbol among the royalties, aristocrats and businessmen. The hookahs used in the past were mostly simple, rugged and primitive in design as they were usually made of earthen pots and coconut shells. And not just then, but even today the traditional style hookahs are handcrafted.

Types of Hookahs

You can generally classify them into two types. The traditional and the modern style hookahs. The traditional type of hookahs are usually very tall in height and are crafted using brass, copper and clay. But the modern ones are made of glass and stainless steel. They use silicone rubber compounds for making hoses which makes them durable and odor-free. The use of modern materials eliminates the risk of corrosion and bacterial decay too. But even though these hookahs are called modern type, they are still made using the older technologies. With both the styles, you can see a difference of height, use of materials and multiple hose ports in several models.

Components of Hookah

You can basically divide a hookah in four parts. The head where you keep the burning tobacco, the base where water is stored, the stem that connects these two and the pipe with a hose that carries only the smoke and not the water.

Best Place to Buy

My research took me to various online websites where hookahs of all variety were available for all, and in affordable prices. I would say it’s better to buy hookahs online than on a store because of the variety of styles and design. The websites deliver it safely to your doorstep so you really don’t have to worry about anything. So place your order for a beautiful Egyptian style hookah today and have fun smoking flavoured tobacco with friends over the weekend.