Hookahs were first introduced in the U.S. in the 70's, but, it wasn't until lately that they began to grow in popularity. Simply put, a hookah bar is a business establishment where people share shisha tobacco through a smoking device called a "hookah". One can easily get hookah bars near universities and colleges and in highly populated urban areas.
The History of Hookah and Hookah Bars
The source of hookah can be traced back to 500 years in what was then referred to as Subcontinent. After getting popular in India, hookahs made their way to turkey where the Turkish elite grew very fond of smoking hookahs. Thereon it was brought to several other countries in the middle east which includes Lebanon, Syria and Egypt. Considering that the origin of Hookahs is in the middle east, hookah bars are greatly associated with the same region. These establishments became places where people would socialize, drink coffee, and discuss politics and local events with a calming hookah session.
What Does A Hookah Bar Look Like?
Bars that are built to mimic the region of origin of hookah have generally Arab people running them. The furnishings are according to the Middle Eastern culture of Indian culture. Some bars only serve hookah. But some multifunctional bars serve snacks, coffee and sodas too. A small bar generally does not have a liquor license and thus they don't serve alcohol. But the large bars which are positioned in very populated areas offer wine, beer along with other cocktails. It's not unusual to see belly dancers, live bands, or DJs in the more high end urban hookah bars as they resemble a "night club" more closely than a neighborhood social establishment.
Some hookah bars are intentionally built near university and college campuses to draw in the students. Hookah is thought to be safer than smoking cigarettes, cigars or other things and therefore hookahs are gaining a great deal of popularity. Hookah bars do well around colleges as college life is a time to experience new things 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 institutions in the U.S.
Let's Discuss a Hookah
Now you must be thinking what a hookah is? What is so special about this device that it has become popular all across the globe. A Persian physician, Abul-Fath-Gilani designed the hookah in 1588. He was in India in those days. It was named as a "huqqa". This name has remained with this device since then, however, as this device traveled around the world it gained many other names such as hubble-bubble and nargile.
While the primitive hookah was much different, probably made with coconut shells, the end result has always been the same: purify and cool the smoke by moving it through water before inhalation. A basic hookah has the following four parts:
1. Bowl - to keep the tobacco.
2. Body - tobacco smoke reaches the water basin after moving through the body.
3. Water Basin - here the smoke passes through the water. After purifying the smoke stays in a chamber over the water.
4. Hose - the smoker puffs on the hose to inhale smoke from the chamber where it is stored after purification. The hose can be up to several meters long.
The above mechanism provides the smoker calming and aromatic smoke.
A senior patron of a prominent hookah business 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. All what people need to come to a hookah bar is a spirit to socialize, meet and spend some time in the company of friends."
The History of Hookah and Hookah Bars
The source of hookah can be traced back to 500 years in what was then referred to as Subcontinent. After getting popular in India, hookahs made their way to turkey where the Turkish elite grew very fond of smoking hookahs. Thereon it was brought to several other countries in the middle east which includes Lebanon, Syria and Egypt. Considering that the origin of Hookahs is in the middle east, hookah bars are greatly associated with the same region. These establishments became places where people would socialize, drink coffee, and discuss politics and local events with a calming hookah session.
What Does A Hookah Bar Look Like?
Bars that are built to mimic the region of origin of hookah have generally Arab people running them. The furnishings are according to the Middle Eastern culture of Indian culture. Some bars only serve hookah. But some multifunctional bars serve snacks, coffee and sodas too. A small bar generally does not have a liquor license and thus they don't serve alcohol. But the large bars which are positioned in very populated areas offer wine, beer along with other cocktails. It's not unusual to see belly dancers, live bands, or DJs in the more high end urban hookah bars as they resemble a "night club" more closely than a neighborhood social establishment.
Some hookah bars are intentionally built near university and college campuses to draw in the students. Hookah is thought to be safer than smoking cigarettes, cigars or other things and therefore hookahs are gaining a great deal of popularity. Hookah bars do well around colleges as college life is a time to experience new things 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 institutions in the U.S.
Let's Discuss a Hookah
Now you must be thinking what a hookah is? What is so special about this device that it has become popular all across the globe. A Persian physician, Abul-Fath-Gilani designed the hookah in 1588. He was in India in those days. It was named as a "huqqa". This name has remained with this device since then, however, as this device traveled around the world it gained many other names such as hubble-bubble and nargile.
While the primitive hookah was much different, probably made with coconut shells, the end result has always been the same: purify and cool the smoke by moving it through water before inhalation. A basic hookah has the following four parts:
1. Bowl - to keep the tobacco.
2. Body - tobacco smoke reaches the water basin after moving through the body.
3. Water Basin - here the smoke passes through the water. After purifying the smoke stays in a chamber over the water.
4. Hose - the smoker puffs on the hose to inhale smoke from the chamber where it is stored after purification. The hose can be up to several meters long.
The above mechanism provides the smoker calming and aromatic smoke.
A senior patron of a prominent hookah business 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. All what people need to come to a hookah bar is a spirit to socialize, meet and spend some time in the company of friends."
About the Author:
More and more people are becoming part of the hookah trend and with the growing number of hookah bars, it is very easy to have a taste of this culture. Before you buy a hookah, go to a hookah lounge and do try one out.
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