What Is A Hookah?

The Hookah Smoking Tradition

‘Hookah’ from the Urdu word, huqqa, meaning pot or jar.

Hookahs have been part of the party for hundreds of years. This popular social practice has its roots in medieval India and today has entrenched in the Middle Eastern culture, and today is becoming highly popular in the American culture.

Historians credit Indian doctor, Hakim Abdul Fateh for the first recorded use of hookah. His idea was to purify smoke by passing it through water. This idea arose with the purpose of decreasing the health risks of smoking tobacco.

The practice caught on quickly across India, the Ottoman Empire, the Persian Empire and parts of northern Africa. The first hookahs were made of wood and coconut shells, but they soon took on more decorative and technical forms.

Thanks to their splendid designs and unique ability to be shared by several people at once. Due to their complexity and flexibility Mya hookahs are perfect, and can be modified for any social gathering.

Each culture added a twist to the Indian tradition. Nargileh, sheesha, and later, hubbly bubbly, were added to the growing list of names for the popular smoking devices. The stems grew up to 7” tall, engraved with delicate patterns. Inventive tobacco producers would conjure up tastes from watermelon to mint chocolate.

Today, the hookah may be less visible at state functions but it still has enormous power to bring people together. More and more people are discovering the time-honored joys of sharing a flavorsome hookah with family or friends, after a meal or during a night out of music and dancing.

MYA has played a key role in the evolution of the hookah since 1863, pushing the boundaries of design and artistry. Our hookahs are expertly crafted for maximum smoking and aesthetic pleasure. We’re proud to be helping to spread the enjoyment of this tradition to people around the world.