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 As one advertisement claims in the West, “things go better with big big Coke!” Here in the Arab World, however, “when the mood mellows, you get hooked to Hookah”. But what really is a Hookah?
Well, Hookah is basically a smoking device. It is an assembly of a glass jar filled with water connected with brass top having a simple arrangement of pipe for inhaling flavored (flavors could be from apple to strawberry & mint) smoke of molasses-molded tobacco burning at the top cup (by means of charcoal) and passing through & cooled by water in the jar. In simple words, it is a Water Pipe for Smoking. This smoking device is known by various names. In the Arab world in general, it is largely known as Sheesha or Hookah; except in Lebanon & Syria, where it is known as Narghile, pronounced as NAARGEELEH. This term Narghile primarily came from Turkey, where in fact the present shape and design of Sheesha was largely developed and perfected, and where it is also known by the same name. Nevertheless the Westerners, most of whom seemed to have developed a new found liking for it, mostly prefer to call it a Hubble-Bubble or simply Hubbly-Bubbly.
One may wonder as to what is so special about Sheesha. Well in the Arab world mostly, and for that matter in Turkey also, it is a favorite hangout. In both these regions, smoking Sheesha used to be the “smoke of choice” for the common person. Now it has become a popular pastime; a high fashion everywhere, especially amongst the teenagers who relish a night out at the “Qahwa” (a coffee shop in Arabic) usually an upscale filled with trendy guys enjoying the smoke. Although still considered a male-only luxury, many women now are also found to be equally hooked to it. And, it has now also become a much sought after entertainment for fashionable young girls in more liberal societies of the Arab world like Egypt, Lebanon and Syria. In Turkey also, this has crept as a fashion into the women folks who enjoy Narghile smoking as much as the men folks do.
For those of you who are interested in the evolutionary history of the Water Pipe or Sheesha, the original Water Pipe came (possibly about 500 or more years ago) from the Indo-Pak Sub-Continent, where it is known also as Hookah. Nevertheless, at that time it was still in its primitive stage as it was made out of coconut shell. Then after, through the courtesy of the Mughals (the then Muslim rulers in the Sub-Continent from the Central Asia), it obtained its popularity first in Iran and then in the Central Asian Republics including Turkey. During the Ottoman Rule, it is said that it was thenceforth transferred to the entire Arab world. However, it was in Turkey that Narghile (Sheesha is known as Narghile here) completed its evolutionary cycle. Its shape and design was thus perfected in Turkey and has not changed since the past few hundred years.
 There are several interesting anecdotes associated with Sheesha smoking from the historical past. Such stories usually spin around, as a merrymaking gossip in Sheesha Cafe between the Sheesha enthusiasts. One such item is about Sheesha smoking in Turkey. It is said that thousands of Narghile Salon sprouted, across the length and breadth of the country, after the first arrival of tobacco from America way back in 1601.
In the early part of the centurty, the Turks took to this smoking with a lot of passion. And, in 1633, outraged at the rapid spread of this vice, the Sultan Murad IV (the then Turkish ruler) imposed a ban on Narghile smoking. However, this prohibition merely drove the smokers underground & did not quite work and about 14 years later, officials conceded defeat and lifted. Narghile soon became an important status symbol in Turkey. Offering one to a guest became an important sign of trust in the society and likewise withholding the same was taken as a serious insult. Interestingly enough, and as narrated to me by a Saudi Sheesha enthusiast in a cafe here, in 1841a diplomatic crisis broke out between France and the Ottoman Empire after the then Sultan, for some reason, declined to offer the French ambassador a chance to smoke Narghile with him. It is funny & interesting, no?
This reminds me of yet another funny recollection narrated to me, some time back, in a local Sheesha café by a Pakistani friend of mine. This time it is about the famous hookah-carrying veteran politician from Pakistan, Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan. Mr. Khan is very well known for his notoriety in politics as he is always in hot pursuit of agitation against all incumbent government in the country. This posture of his keeps him always in the news, even today at the age of 90 plus or so, and so are the jokes & stories about him. One such true story is about his famous hookah. Once during a trip to Europe, Mr. Khan as usual was accompanied with his favorite hookah. After the hectic engagements of the day, he set to relax in his hotel suite with his adored hookah. As soon as he lit the charcoal to burn the tobacco in his hookah, the smoke-sensitive fire alarm immediately got triggered. Mr. Khan, obviously, was very puzzled, confused and a bit scared though. Nevertheless the hotel management soon got to the problem and to Mr. Khan also, advising him to pack his hookah and leave. It’s a bit more amusing, no?
Like most wonderful & timeless things from the old traditions, Sheesha did also suffer a decline with the advent of the modern cigarettes. Yet, from Indo-Pak Sub-continent to Iran and from Turkey to Arabia, many still consider this as a favorite pastime. In the Arab world especially, there seems to be a sort of a renaissance of the same all over again. Here in the Kingdom, owing to absence of any public entertainment places (cinema & alike), Sheesha Café does serve as a preferred hangout for the young (old alike)Saudis. I have been to some Sheesha café here in Riyadh and they are simply marvelous. The term Café is not appropriate because they are too huge a complex like facility to be called a café. Here, one can find literally hundreds of cubicles (about 3m x 3m) furnished with elegant Saudi (Arabic) seating arrangements (meaning a cozy carpeted floor with typical elbow & back resting cushions) and each equipped with television. These cubicles are well-ventilated tent-like structure with open sides; only a low partition in between which also serves as a back rest. In these Sheesha cubicles its quite relaxing; while others enjoy watching news or drama on the TV or simply chit chat along with taking puff of Sheesha, the Saudis are conspicuously seen to be fully absorbed watching football games called Kurra-tul-Qadam in Arabic; kurra means ball while qadam is foot. Saudis are known to have obsession for football & Sheesha, and a combination of both, one can imagine, should be simply breath-taking.
 The westerners in general and in particular those who have lived in the Arab world, especially in Egypt and UAE, have developed a new found love & liking for this also. Each one of them, the women folks included, loves to buy one set of the colorful Sheesha and take home both as an artifact and for smoking. It is also said a western version of Sheesha is now already in vogue in the west with some improvisation as per the local tastes. This includes using ice cubes in water for a fresh cool taste and adding a little bit of sweet red wine into the water for a nice warm feeling with each puff. Sheesha cafes are now a common sight in the US and Europe. In fact, I have even seen Sheeesha being served in some of the Lebanese-owned restaurants as far away as in Sydney in Australia. So, get hooked to it & long live Sheesha!
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