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.
A Look at The History
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.
Features of Hookah Bars
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 around institutions are more casual and attract a lot of students. Hookah is believed to be less hazardous than smoking cigarettes, cigars or other things and thus hookahs are gaining a lot of popularity. Also, as college years are usually a time of new experiences, regular social interaction, and building strong connections, the hookah lounge lends itself well to college life. There has been a spike in the number and popularity of hookah bars in cities, which are renowned for their secondary education establishments in the U.S.
Let's Talk About a Hookah
Now that you understand what a hookah bar is, you may be asking yourself about the device that has been able to spread around the world and spark a smoking revolution. Hookah was designed by a Persian physician in the late 1500's. The Indians called the device as a "huqqa", a name which has remained with it through history, although it is referred to as a number of other names such as "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 - where tobacco is placed.
2. Body - the smoke leaves the body and gets to the water basin.
3. Water Basin - here the smoke goes through the water. After purifying the smoke remains in a chamber above the water.
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.
Thick, cool and aromatic smoke comes out of the hookah.
A senior patron of a famous hookah establishment in turkey said:
"What you put in the hookah matters not, but who is along with you when you are smoking. It's a full experience. You'll find, good, old, interesting and all kinds of people in a bar such as this. All what people really need to come to a hookah bar is a spirit to socialize, meet and spend some time in the company of close friends."
A Look at The History
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.
Features of Hookah Bars
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 around institutions are more casual and attract a lot of students. Hookah is believed to be less hazardous than smoking cigarettes, cigars or other things and thus hookahs are gaining a lot of popularity. Also, as college years are usually a time of new experiences, regular social interaction, and building strong connections, the hookah lounge lends itself well to college life. There has been a spike in the number and popularity of hookah bars in cities, which are renowned for their secondary education establishments in the U.S.
Let's Talk About a Hookah
Now that you understand what a hookah bar is, you may be asking yourself about the device that has been able to spread around the world and spark a smoking revolution. Hookah was designed by a Persian physician in the late 1500's. The Indians called the device as a "huqqa", a name which has remained with it through history, although it is referred to as a number of other names such as "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 - where tobacco is placed.
2. Body - the smoke leaves the body and gets to the water basin.
3. Water Basin - here the smoke goes through the water. After purifying the smoke remains in a chamber above the water.
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.
Thick, cool and aromatic smoke comes out of the hookah.
A senior patron of a famous hookah establishment in turkey said:
"What you put in the hookah matters not, but who is along with you when you are smoking. It's a full experience. You'll find, good, old, interesting and all kinds of people in a bar such as this. All what people really need to come to a hookah bar is a spirit to socialize, meet and spend some time in the company of close friends."
About the Author:
Have you ever been to a hookah bar? If not, then you should go and have a taste of this rising trend. Nowadays, it is not difficult to find a hookah lounge in any city.
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