Initially popularized the in the U.S. in the 1960's and 70's, hookah smoking is becoming progressively common ever since the turn of the century. To put it simply, a hookah bar is a commercial establishment where patrons share shisha tobacco by using a smoking device called a "hookah". One can easily get hookah bars near universities and colleges and in highly populated towns.
The History of Hookah and Hookah Bars
Hookahs and hookah bars originated in India around 500 years ago in a much more primitive form near the Pakistan border. Right after getting popular in India, hookahs made their way to turkey where the Turkish elite became very fond of smoking hookahs. Thereon it was taken to many other countries in the middle east including Lebanon, Syria and Egypt. Considering that the origin of Hookahs is in the middle east, hookah bars are heavily associated with the same region. Hookah bars in the middle east became the place for the elite to hang out and smoke hookah.
Exactly What Does A Hookah Bar Seem Like?
In the more cultural places, the lounges often resemble their roots more carefully, generally run by people of Arab ancestry, furnished and embellished with a Middle Eastern or Indian theme. At a few bars, nothing is served other than hookah. Several, however, provide coffee, soft drinks, and snack foods at least. A small bar typically doesn't have a liquor license and therefore they don't serve alcohol. The larger bars, however, possess a liquor license and they serve many cocktails along with wine and beer. A few hookah bars try to give an atmosphere like a night club with live bands and DJs while many tend to keep the bar close to the origin of hookah bars with belly dancers performing in the bars.
Hookah bars that are near institutions tend to be more casual and attract a lot of students. Hookah is gaining a lot of popularity as a safer approach to enjoy smoking. Hookah bars do well around colleges as college life is a time to experience new stuff and enjoy the independence of life. There has been a surge in the number and popularity of hookah bars in cities, which are famous for their secondary education establishments in the U.S.
Let's Talk About a Hookah
Now you must be thinking what a hookah is? What is so special about this device that it has become popular all around the world. A Persian physician, Abul-Fath-Gilani made the hookah in 1588. He was in India at that time. The Indians called the device as a "huqqa", a name which has stayed with it throughout history, although it is referred to as many other names for example "nargile," "shisha," and "hubble-bubble" to name a few.
While the primitive hookah was much different, possibly made from coconut shells, the end result has always been the same: purify and cool the smoke by moving it through water before inhalation. Following are the key parts of a hookah:
1. Bowl - the tobacco sits here.
2. Body - the smoke leaves the body and gets to the water basin.
3. Water Basin - here the smoke passes through the water. Purified smoke stays in the chamber above the water until it is inhaled from the hose.
4. Hose - after the purified smoke reaches the chamber, the smoker breathes in deeply through the hose connected into the water basin. The hose can be up to several meters long.
The end result is a calming and fragrant smoke.
A senior patron of a famous hookah establishment in turkey said:
"What you put in the hookah is not important, but who is with you when you are smoking. It's a complete experience. You can find, good, old, interesting and all sorts of people in a bar like this. As long as there is a need for company and friendship, as long as people want to stop and think, there will be hookah bars."
The History of Hookah and Hookah Bars
Hookahs and hookah bars originated in India around 500 years ago in a much more primitive form near the Pakistan border. Right after getting popular in India, hookahs made their way to turkey where the Turkish elite became very fond of smoking hookahs. Thereon it was taken to many other countries in the middle east including Lebanon, Syria and Egypt. Considering that the origin of Hookahs is in the middle east, hookah bars are heavily associated with the same region. Hookah bars in the middle east became the place for the elite to hang out and smoke hookah.
Exactly What Does A Hookah Bar Seem Like?
In the more cultural places, the lounges often resemble their roots more carefully, generally run by people of Arab ancestry, furnished and embellished with a Middle Eastern or Indian theme. At a few bars, nothing is served other than hookah. Several, however, provide coffee, soft drinks, and snack foods at least. A small bar typically doesn't have a liquor license and therefore they don't serve alcohol. The larger bars, however, possess a liquor license and they serve many cocktails along with wine and beer. A few hookah bars try to give an atmosphere like a night club with live bands and DJs while many tend to keep the bar close to the origin of hookah bars with belly dancers performing in the bars.
Hookah bars that are near institutions tend to be more casual and attract a lot of students. Hookah is gaining a lot of popularity as a safer approach to enjoy smoking. Hookah bars do well around colleges as college life is a time to experience new stuff and enjoy the independence of life. There has been a surge in the number and popularity of hookah bars in cities, which are famous for their secondary education establishments in the U.S.
Let's Talk About a Hookah
Now you must be thinking what a hookah is? What is so special about this device that it has become popular all around the world. A Persian physician, Abul-Fath-Gilani made the hookah in 1588. He was in India at that time. The Indians called the device as a "huqqa", a name which has stayed with it throughout history, although it is referred to as many other names for example "nargile," "shisha," and "hubble-bubble" to name a few.
While the primitive hookah was much different, possibly made from coconut shells, the end result has always been the same: purify and cool the smoke by moving it through water before inhalation. Following are the key parts of a hookah:
1. Bowl - the tobacco sits here.
2. Body - the smoke leaves the body and gets to the water basin.
3. Water Basin - here the smoke passes through the water. Purified smoke stays in the chamber above the water until it is inhaled from the hose.
4. Hose - after the purified smoke reaches the chamber, the smoker breathes in deeply through the hose connected into the water basin. The hose can be up to several meters long.
The end result is a calming and fragrant smoke.
A senior patron of a famous hookah establishment in turkey said:
"What you put in the hookah is not important, but who is with you when you are smoking. It's a complete experience. You can find, good, old, interesting and all sorts of people in a bar like this. As long as there is a need for company and friendship, as long as people want to stop and think, there will be hookah bars."
About the Author:
Have you ever been to a hookah bar? If not, then you should go and have a taste of this growing trend. Nowadays, it is not difficult to find a hookah lounge in any city.
No comments:
Post a Comment