Let me make it very clear in the very beginning that what is exactly a Hookah? There are many people who have a misconception that hookahs are very harmful for our body, which is not at all TRUE.

Hookah set up diagram

What is a Hookah?

Hookah is nothing but a metal cylinder fitted with a vessel containing the coals burning on the top of it. It contains a vessel at the bottom filled with water and a hose through which smoke is inhaled. Hookah was devised in the middle east several centuries ago. It is considered as a hip among the US teens and has become extremely popular in recent years in India. The teens of our country consider hookah as their new trend, they somehow feel GREAT to inhale it. It has become a passion for them.

Hookahs are something which I take every week with my friends. There is a hookah lounge in our city, the most popular one called Aj’s where I spend my time with friends (almost 3-4 hours), said Sanjana K who started inhaling hookah when she was 18.

It is known as by different names in different countries. Some call it a shisha, pipe, water pipe, narghile and in slang language it is known as a hubble-bubble goza.

My friend consuming Hookah at Aqua Java, Calcutta

How hookah works?

Hookah smoking requires loads of preparation. The mixture that is smoked contains a little tobacco and substances such as honey and dried fruits. The smoker inhale the smoke through the hose, a pressure is build up inside the hookah chamber that causes the smoke to run into the mouth of the smoker. To add to this, before the smoke reaches the hose it passes through lighted coal and the water. The best part is the coal heats it up and the water cools it down.

Water plays an important role while inhaling the hookah. It absorbs most of the nicotine and tar from the smoke. Hookah smoke is not at all as harmful as that of cigarettes or cigars. The reason is that the tobacco here is combined with a pleasant fruit essences.  Since hookahs are filtered with water it helps in getting rid of many unwanted chemicals that are present in the tobacco, added Rajat Sharma, founder and MD of The Chinar, a hookah lounge in Pune.

The Chinar's Hookah, Pune

Is Hookah worse than Cigarettes?

Many professors believe that the smoking the shisha, the tobacco that is used in hookah is much worse than a cigarette. The reason is as per them hookah consists of more ubic volume of smoke when inhaled than cigarettes. I am not saying that smoking hookah is good for you because it isn’t. I am basically making a point that it is better to smoke off a hookah than a cigarette.

Shisha is the tobacco that you smoke and the hookah is what you smoke with shisha. Shisha is nothing but a tobacco leaf with amount of honey and glycerin added to it along with flavors like kiwi, apple, oranges, strawberry etc. Some lounges wash the tobacco so well that there is no additives present in the shisha like there is in cigarettes. As a result of which the nicotine is reduced to a good level. In fact you wont believe that cigarette companies make it a point to add more and more of nicotine into their ciagrettes to make them as addictive as possible.

People say that there is a considerable amount of tar present in the shisha. When I asked Mr. Ajit Pandey, who is the General Manager of Blue Fox, a hookah lounge in Gurgaon, he said that this is not at all TRUE. There is not even 1% of tar added in the shishas. I am really shocked about the conclusions these professors are making and brain washing the mind set of the people.

Over consumption of shisha is harmful but if you consume it at the moderate level it is never harmful for you.

Hookah is an addiction in western countries like USA, Uk

I used to consume Hookah almost everyday. I made it a point that I take it. I was totally addicted to it. But when I heard it is harmful to consume everyday I decided to quit. Though it was extremely difficult but still I somehow manaed to consume it not more than twice a week. I enjoy taking hookah with my husband and friends at Shisha, The best lounge of Calcutta, said Vishaka D, a complete Hookah freak.

Hookah lounges are becoming extremely popular for the young crowd in India. People prefer going to hookah lounges here rather spending money on movies and restaurants. I go to hookah lounge every week with my friends. It is far better to go there and spend time with friends rather spend time at shopping malls or multiplexes, said Ritika G, a new hookah addict.

So the bottom line is consuming Hookah is a new trend today. Inhaling shisha at a moderate level is not at all harmful for anyone. So why worry? Lets Enjoy!!