Originally popularized the in the U.S. in the 1960's and 70's, hookah smoking is becoming increasingly popular since the turn of the century. To put it simply, a hookah bar is a business establishment where patrons share shisha tobacco with a smoking device referred to as a "hookah". One can effortlessly locate hookah bars near colleges and universities and in very populated towns.
A Look at The History
The source of hookah can be traced back to five centuries in what was then called the Subcontinent. Making its way through Iran and into Turkey it experienced an increase of popularity among Turkish upper class and started to spread even more rapidly down through Lebanon and Syria and finally to Egypt, therefore, the hookah bar is strongly linked to the Middle East. 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?
Bars that are built to imitate the region of origin of hookah have generally Arab people running them. The furnishings are in line with the Middle Eastern culture of Indian culture. Some bars only offer hookah. But some multifunctional bars serve snacks, coffee and sodas as well. A small bar usually does not have a liquor license and so they do not serve alcohol. But the large bars which are positioned in very populated areas serve wine, beer along with other cocktails. It's not uncommon to see belly dancers, live bands, or DJs in the more trendy urban hookah bars as they resemble a "night club" more closely than a community social establishment.
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.
The Mysterious 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.
When the hookah was first designed, it was constructed with coconut shells and must have looked fairly simple than the complex and innovative designs of today. The structure of hookah has 4 main parts:
1. Bowl - the tobacco sits here.
2. Body - the smoke passes from the body and reaches 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 - when the purified smoke reaches the chamber, the smoker breathes in deeply through the hose connected into the water basin. Ordinarily a hose is about one to two meters long.
Thick, cool and aromatic smoke comes out of the hookah.
A customer of a hookah bar in Turkey once 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."
A Look at The History
The source of hookah can be traced back to five centuries in what was then called the Subcontinent. Making its way through Iran and into Turkey it experienced an increase of popularity among Turkish upper class and started to spread even more rapidly down through Lebanon and Syria and finally to Egypt, therefore, the hookah bar is strongly linked to the Middle East. 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?
Bars that are built to imitate the region of origin of hookah have generally Arab people running them. The furnishings are in line with the Middle Eastern culture of Indian culture. Some bars only offer hookah. But some multifunctional bars serve snacks, coffee and sodas as well. A small bar usually does not have a liquor license and so they do not serve alcohol. But the large bars which are positioned in very populated areas serve wine, beer along with other cocktails. It's not uncommon to see belly dancers, live bands, or DJs in the more trendy urban hookah bars as they resemble a "night club" more closely than a community social establishment.
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.
The Mysterious 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.
When the hookah was first designed, it was constructed with coconut shells and must have looked fairly simple than the complex and innovative designs of today. The structure of hookah has 4 main parts:
1. Bowl - the tobacco sits here.
2. Body - the smoke passes from the body and reaches 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 - when the purified smoke reaches the chamber, the smoker breathes in deeply through the hose connected into the water basin. Ordinarily a hose is about one to two meters long.
Thick, cool and aromatic smoke comes out of the hookah.
A customer of a hookah bar in Turkey once 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 visited 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 visited.
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