Hookahs are typically used devices to smoke flavored tobacco. A hookah features a water basin, which cleans the smoke before inhalation. The parts of a hookah are fairly basic and straightforward, but the art of constructing hookahs has been perfected over hundreds of years around the Middle East, and the best quality hookahs are still produced in this region.
Parts
The end of the body is submerged in a water jar through which the smoke produced by burning tobacco passes. The smoke is kept in an air chamber above the water when it is purified by the water. Passing smoke through water cools down the temperature of the smoke and makes it much more suitable for the lungs, which is another positive side effect of purifying smoke with water. The hose can be seen in the diagram on the top left of water jar. It isn't fully displayed here, but the hose generally extends 1 or more meters. The smoker puffs on the hose and breathes in the smoker from the air chamber. After inhaling, the smoker breathes out clean and fragrant smoke. Hookahs are usually smoked in group settings where the smokers can enjoy the company of their family or friends.
What Do You Inhale from a Hookah?
Generally hookahs are used to smoke shisha, which is flavored tobacco. Shisha, these days contain some or all of the following substances: tobacco, treacle (uncrystallized syrup produced in refining sugar), honey, sugar, molasses, glycerin, nicotine, dried fruit and distilled water.
Shisha is usually fruit flavor based. But offshoots of fruity flavors are now gaining popularity among the smokers and producers likewise. These flavors include Peaches 'n Cream or Banana split, and many others.
The tobacco flavors have become significantly versatile because of the convenience of flavoring at the time of production. The dried tobacco, glycerin, and sweetener can be combined with essentially any other ingredients to create special flavors.
The Original Source of Hookahs
The very first hookah was designed by a Persian physician known as Abul-Fath Gilani in the 1500's. The word hookah comes from the indian name of this device "huqqa." He designed a system to pass smoke by using a water basin to purify the smoke as he was concerned with the health risks of smoking. But, it is said that even before he invented it, hookah existed in other regions of Persia. After it become popular in Indian it spread all through Pakistan and Turkey. Hookah gained fame throughout the Middle East after getting to Turkey. As it spread through Middle East, it started to become popular in areas of northern Africa. Today, it is being used in almost every country of the globe.
As the hookah reached different countries, it gathered various names.
Nargile (also pronounced Argilee) - Generally used in Mediterranean nations.
Narguile - used in Spain
Lula (or lulava) - used in Albania, Bosnia, Herzegovina
Sheesha - used in Morocco, Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia
Qalyan - used in Iran
Karim Khan - used in Russia, Belarus
Chillim - used in Afghanistan and Uzbekistan
Huqqa - used in India and Pakistan
Gudugudaa - used in Maldives
Marra Pipe - used in the UK
How Can I Buy A Hookah?
Hookahs can be purchased in physical shops as well as from online shops. Hookah shops have grown with the popularity of hookah bars throughout the U.S. since the turn of the century. Those who live in the more populated towns can certainly find a hookah shop around them. Hookahs are gaining popularity in the U.S., but they are not as popular here as in the Persian Gulf.
If you don't want to wander around in search of a hookah, then you a buy one on the web from a number of shops online that offer top quality hookahs and shishas.
What Are The Health Risks Associated with Smoking Hookah?
The controversy rages on about whether or not hookah smoking is less hazardous than cigarette smoking. People who are in favor of smoking hookah say that the smoke that comes from hookah is cleaner since it is purified through water and that the temperature of the smoke is also moderate. Critics say that hookah contains more harmful toxins in comparison with cigarettes. It contains compounds like tar, carbonmonoxide and heavy metals. One more argument is that less smoke is inhaled from a cigarette because it lasts just 3-4 minutes while a hookah session generally lasts for 60 minutes or more. On the other hand hookah is not as addictive as cigarettes. People smoke hookah once in one week or bi weekly for fun whereas a cigarette smoker smokes cigarettes daily, several times.
Parts
The end of the body is submerged in a water jar through which the smoke produced by burning tobacco passes. The smoke is kept in an air chamber above the water when it is purified by the water. Passing smoke through water cools down the temperature of the smoke and makes it much more suitable for the lungs, which is another positive side effect of purifying smoke with water. The hose can be seen in the diagram on the top left of water jar. It isn't fully displayed here, but the hose generally extends 1 or more meters. The smoker puffs on the hose and breathes in the smoker from the air chamber. After inhaling, the smoker breathes out clean and fragrant smoke. Hookahs are usually smoked in group settings where the smokers can enjoy the company of their family or friends.
What Do You Inhale from a Hookah?
Generally hookahs are used to smoke shisha, which is flavored tobacco. Shisha, these days contain some or all of the following substances: tobacco, treacle (uncrystallized syrup produced in refining sugar), honey, sugar, molasses, glycerin, nicotine, dried fruit and distilled water.
Shisha is usually fruit flavor based. But offshoots of fruity flavors are now gaining popularity among the smokers and producers likewise. These flavors include Peaches 'n Cream or Banana split, and many others.
The tobacco flavors have become significantly versatile because of the convenience of flavoring at the time of production. The dried tobacco, glycerin, and sweetener can be combined with essentially any other ingredients to create special flavors.
The Original Source of Hookahs
The very first hookah was designed by a Persian physician known as Abul-Fath Gilani in the 1500's. The word hookah comes from the indian name of this device "huqqa." He designed a system to pass smoke by using a water basin to purify the smoke as he was concerned with the health risks of smoking. But, it is said that even before he invented it, hookah existed in other regions of Persia. After it become popular in Indian it spread all through Pakistan and Turkey. Hookah gained fame throughout the Middle East after getting to Turkey. As it spread through Middle East, it started to become popular in areas of northern Africa. Today, it is being used in almost every country of the globe.
As the hookah reached different countries, it gathered various names.
Nargile (also pronounced Argilee) - Generally used in Mediterranean nations.
Narguile - used in Spain
Lula (or lulava) - used in Albania, Bosnia, Herzegovina
Sheesha - used in Morocco, Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia
Qalyan - used in Iran
Karim Khan - used in Russia, Belarus
Chillim - used in Afghanistan and Uzbekistan
Huqqa - used in India and Pakistan
Gudugudaa - used in Maldives
Marra Pipe - used in the UK
How Can I Buy A Hookah?
Hookahs can be purchased in physical shops as well as from online shops. Hookah shops have grown with the popularity of hookah bars throughout the U.S. since the turn of the century. Those who live in the more populated towns can certainly find a hookah shop around them. Hookahs are gaining popularity in the U.S., but they are not as popular here as in the Persian Gulf.
If you don't want to wander around in search of a hookah, then you a buy one on the web from a number of shops online that offer top quality hookahs and shishas.
What Are The Health Risks Associated with Smoking Hookah?
The controversy rages on about whether or not hookah smoking is less hazardous than cigarette smoking. People who are in favor of smoking hookah say that the smoke that comes from hookah is cleaner since it is purified through water and that the temperature of the smoke is also moderate. Critics say that hookah contains more harmful toxins in comparison with cigarettes. It contains compounds like tar, carbonmonoxide and heavy metals. One more argument is that less smoke is inhaled from a cigarette because it lasts just 3-4 minutes while a hookah session generally lasts for 60 minutes or more. On the other hand hookah is not as addictive as cigarettes. People smoke hookah once in one week or bi weekly for fun whereas a cigarette smoker smokes cigarettes daily, several times.
About the Author:
There is no doubt that hookah is a great leisure activity. If you want to become a part of the hookah culture and if you want to buy a hookah, then you should learn more about hookah and its history.
