Hooking on cloud number 9

In an era of facebook and twitter numerous Shisha/Hookah cafes propelling, the new movement has blended in an era of social networking. The concept of "socializing" changes with time.

It was just a couple of years back that hookah bars started emerging as a novel and chic way to socialize. The area of conversations and enjoying music over hookah came to an end after the ban on indoor smoking. Many places discontinued serving hookah and the gen-next lost their chilling zone. But the fight never ends like brave Ottomans fought their endless battles. On some fronts they won but some are still struggling with various government policies globally.

Thankfully India is the country which is blessed with some extra-ordinary blessings of numerous gods and goddesses. Indians find a way to celebrate their heritage through Hookah smoking. Commonly known as “Shisha” worldwide. Despite any disagreements they may have with their culture, Hookah/Shisha passes the tests of an acceptable social activity and perhaps most appealing of all, it draws people from other walks of life to join in and celebrate the culture with them. Now the hookah bars are back with a bang, and searching the revival of lost hookah magic in more urban and cosmopolitan lifestyles. As it is said that History repeats itself after every twenty years, and this once upon a time popular activity entered in a new ‘avatar’ is conveying the same truth.

As per traditional & popular customs, tobacco is vastly smoked in the form of mobile and compact "beedis" (a form of non-filtered cigarette vastly consumed in India) and cigarettes but the charm of hookah is beyond compare. Conventionally, in a very typical Indian village scene Hookah is smoked as “most shared commodity” by villagers of all ranks, ages, castes, and faiths sit together and discuss all from serious to non-serious issues, by letting go off weeds in serious matters in the smoke of hookah. It is placed in the centre of a public space owned by the villagers where nobody can claim to have an individual ownership of it.

Historically, during Mughal era it was tremendously popular which travelled the long journey from uncommon lavish royal palaces to the fields of modest "common Indian” As the habit caught on, it occupied central place in rural homes. But history repeats itself with more refined and twisted way and the significance of hookah not only in India but is globally enjoyed in many flavors being offered in lounges and bars with hybrid ambience of multicultural twists.

Whatever's on offer, people feel comfortable enough to linger, gathered round the hookah pipe to share stories, play cards, or chess but to “socialize” broadly speaking!