So, when you hear this word, ‘hookah’ the image that is created in your mind is that of a lavishly clothed royal figure, half seated and half lying, resting on decorated and extravagant cushions and linen, with droopy eyes and an intoxicated look and a long pipe in hand, from which, when he smokes up, the gurgling sound of the water that rings in the ears. That is how, we all, always pictured hookah as; a grand way of smoking, by the royalty of India. So, we should take a look at the history of this unique indulgence before, we head on to explore the present day usage and popularity of it.
The earliest evidences of hookah smoking can be traced back a millennia ago, in the North Western states of India and along the border of Pakistan, primarily in the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat. According to the prophet of medicine as he was called, by Cyril Elwood, an Iranian physician at Mughal Emperor Akbar’s (1542 – 1605 AD) court, named Hakim Abu’l-Fath Gīlānī (d. 1588), first invented this idea of a subtle form of smoking. The best feature of this instrument was that it filtered the smoke by passing it through water.
Tobacco was introduced in India by the Europeans and it was seen that many Mughal noble men took a liking to smoking tobacco quite fast and widely. Hakim Abu’l-Fath Gīlānī was a descendant of Abdul-Qadir Gilani. He saw this trend and raised concerns and invented a way in which the tobacco smoke could possibly be ‘purified’ by passing it through water. An ambassador of Bijapur, named Asad Beg, suggested tobacco smoking to the Emperor Akbar and that was the time, when Hakim Abu’l-Fath Gīlānī came up with the idea of an instrument that would dampen the harmful effects of smoking tobacco directly. The instrument became a symbol of the rich aristocracy and royalty and became very popular in few days. However, some references show that Hookah was a prevalent indulgence way back since the reign of Shah Tahmasp I. So, we can say that though Hookah already existed in Persia, it was introduced in India by Gilani and therefore he gets the due credit and gratitude. In UK, the Hookah pipe is called the ‘Marra’ pipe.
With a growing popularity, hookah underwent changes down the years. Herbal hookah, the popular aromatic experience is a rage all over among young crowds these days. The effects of tobacco are much less harmful than that of cigarette smoking in this case. Thus, today smoking herbal hookah is not just a way to indulge in past nostalgia but also to savor a subtle delicacy without harming one’s health.
