HAJI K PERSONALISED ZONE: Shisha aka Hookah

The text below shall be used as information only. It is never my intentions to encourage all of you to take shisha. The photos which follow are some examples of shisha that I have came across.

Shisha or hookah is a single or multi-stemmed (often glass-based) water pipe device for smoking. It originates in India and has gained popularity, especially in the Arab World. A shisha is operated by water filteration and indirect heat. It can be used for smoking herbal fruits, i.e using dried pieces that have been in the sun for a number of days. That's why shisha sometimes smells nice, sweet and addictive.

Shisha comes from the Persian word shishe, which literally translated as glass and not bottle.

In the Arab world, social smoking is done with a single or double hose. When the smoker is finished, either the hose is placed back on the table signifying that it is free, or it is handed from one user to the next, folded back on itself so that the mouthpiece does not point at the person receiving it. (Stories tell Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar thought of it as an insult if the mouthpiece pointed at the person, but there are no official facts.) Another tradition is that the receiver taps or slaps the giver on the back of the hand while taking it as a sign of respect or friendship.

In cafés and restaurants, however, it is rare for each smoker not to order an individual shisha, as the price is generally low, ranging from $2 to $10.

Most cafés (called maqha— Arabic: مقهى, "coffeeshop") in the Middle East have shisha available. Cafés are very widespread, and are amongst the main social gathering places in the Arab world (similar to the status pubs have in the UK).

Listed here are the components of shisha.

Excluding grommets, a shisha is usually made of five components, four of which are essential for its operation

The bowl
Also known as the head of shisha, the bowl is a container, usually made out of clay or marble, that holds the tobacco and coal during the smoking session. It is covered in a small piece of tin foil and holes are made before the coal is placed on top.

Hose
The hose is a slender tube that allows the smoke to be drawn. The end is typically fitted with a metal or wooden mouthpiece.

Body, Gasket, Valve
The body of shisha is a hollow tube with a gasket at its bottom. The gasket itself has at least one opening for the hose. The gasket seals the connection of the body of the shisha with the water jar. The gasket may have one more opening with a valve in it for clearing the smoke from the water jar not via the hose. In some cases the gasket may contain openings for more than one hose.

Water jar
Placed at the bottom of the shisha, the water jar is a container which the smoke from the tobacco passes through before it reaches the hose. By passing through water, the smoke gains moisture. This makes inhaling the smoke of the shisha easier than a cigarette's. Also the water jar allegedly functions as a filter for the smoke. The level of the water has to be higher than the lowest point of the body's tube in order for the smoke to pass through it. Liquids other than water may be added, such as a strong mixture of alcohol,spirit and/or fruit juice.

The plate
The plate is usually just below the bowl and is used for "dead" coals from previous smoking sessions. It is not vital for the operation of the shisha.

Grommets
Grommets in a shisha are usually placed between the bowl and the body, the body's gasket and the water jar and between the body and the hose. The reason for the usage of grommets although not essential (the usage of paper or tape has become common) will help to seal the joints between the parts, therefore decreasing the amount of air coming in and maximizing the smoke breathed in.

How it operates

The jar at the bottom of the shisha is filled with water sufficient to submerge a few centimeters of the body tube, which is sealed tightly to it. Tobacco is placed inside the bowl at the top of the shisha and a burning charcoal is placed on top of the tobacco. Some cultures cover the bowl with perforated tin foil to separate the coal and the tobacco, which minimizes inhalation of coal ash with the smoke.

When one inhales via the hose, air is pulled through the coal and into the bowl. The air, hot from the charcoal, roasts, not burns, the tobacco, producing smoke. This smoke passes down through the body tube, which extends into the water in the jar. It bubbles up through the water and fills the top part of the jar, to which the hose is attached. When a smoker inhales from the hose, smoke passes into the lungs, and the change in pressure in the jar pulls more air through the charcoal, continuing the process.

The shisha's components must be sealed tightly with grommets, or air which does not flow through the coal will dilute the smoke.

As you may noticed, one has to inhale deeply in order for the get the smoke into the lungs. For this reason, some people believe shisha is more dangerous than cigarattes.

My final advise is for those who smoke to stop smoking. As far as shisha is concerned, do not try it. Not even once. Just enjoy the art side of shisha because some of them are really beautiful. Have a look at these.

Smoke and shisha is dangerous for your health...