A Royal Souvenir of India

The great monarchies millennia back in India crafted a magnificent artifact for leisure & stress relief. The culture of smoking hookah originated in the vibrant enriching boundaries of Gujarat & Rajasthan where the royal emperors used coconut shell as a base & a tube with a head attached. Such were the primitive designs of hookahs to be traced.

During the Mughal Reign (1500's), Hakim Abul Fath, a physician, invented a modern version of the hookah. He felt there was a need for a hookah that would promise to be safer to use than the original version. As well as being a physician he was known to have unique knowledge of philosophy, logic and other secular sciences. Hakim Abul Fath believed that smoke should first pass through a “filter”. He devised a small receptacle of water that smoke could pass through, therefore rendering it harmless.

The use of hookahs from ancient times was a custom. This invention transformed a custom into a prestigious pastime. Rich and landed classes were often seen smoking of hookahs.

On the southwest coast of India in Koyilandy, Yemeni merchants had taken up residence there at around the time Fath improved on the hookah. They expanded on Fath's hookah and blended it with the original coconut shell design. This creation impressed Yemeni traders and soon became known as Koyilandy Hookah. They were ornately designed with attractive motifs. They soon coined it the Malabar Hookah. These are still very popular today in the Gulf countries.

The new face of Hookah began when in 15th Century THE EAST INDIAN COMPANY starting exporting glass to India. The Glass base was called shisha. They modernized hookahs & started the mass production of glass (shisha) based hookahs instead of coconut shells or wooden based.

But through its entire odyssey hookah acquired a class distinction in India. Various Kingdoms acquired India. With every new entrant in the India hookah made its new way & adopted a new face. But every dynasty got addicted to this royal pleasure & took the hookahs to their own countries.

The Great Cultural Odyssey of Hookah's

Smoking hookah became a culture during Arabs invaded parts of Asia. The royal dynasties used wooden crafted hookahs with various paintings & statuettes crafted on the base. Dark tobaccos from Iran became an important ingredient of hookahs for strong flavor.

The Mughal Empire came with artistic hookahs & changed the way it was consumed. A mass product which originated in India took a shape of imperial artifact which was used for salutation, décor & a complete leisure relic.

The hookah made its way through the Persian Kingdom, which also included Pakistan, Afghanistan, much of Middle Asia and Arab parts of Northern Africa. The hookah acquired tombeik on its way through Persia When cigarettes came in Persian Empire men shifted to it but woman became more addicted to ghelune in the home for entertaining and as a past time.

Hookahs travelled from centuries to dynasties, from boundaries to cultures, from primitive coconut base to shisha based units. The journey has been flamboyant as well as audacious.

Today hookahs are forming a shape of being a trend. Instead of being just confined to elderly/rich class of the society now it’s adopting a chic image. The youthful hookah culture is booming and so as the popularity of this ancient INDIAN originated artifact.

Hookah Etiquitte

The Shisha has been considered has a great meant of relaxation & leisure. The dark smoking clouds that people drive out of it has simply no comparison. It makes them feel as if they are in the seventh heaven.

At Arabian Nights we believe hookahs are meant to be a trend. But that doesn't mean that it takes up a shape of a mass market product which has no guided decorum. To complete the style statement there are few etiquettes that needs to be followed point to point. Keeping in mind there are some social ethics and and demonstrate good conduct for others to learn and practice.

• Don't be hasty about smoking Hookah. You can enjoy only by being patient.
   

• Take your own sweet time and unwind yourself.
   

• When you are through with smoking and want to hand over the hose to another person, be courteous enough to turn the metal stem connection of the hose towards him.
   

• Never light the cigarette using the lit charcoal it is considered to be rude.
   

• Never blow smoke on the other person's face.
   

• In case of a multi hose Hookah, one should never blow the hose to clear the smoke especially at the time when the other person is smoking.
   

• Avoid the practice of sharing the plastic mouthpiece with someone else, as it is not considered to be a hygienic practice. Unhygienic conditions can give rise to varied problems. So, refrain from indulging in such a practice.
   

• When you are satisfied and wish to finish Hookah smoking, wrap the hose of Hookah in a proper manner. The hookah should be set up in the right way, so that it can be used by other person.
   

• Avoid using household aluminum foils, there are foils especially made for Hookahs. Strictly Use them!!
   

• Only smoke the tobacco from the hookah and nothing else.