Across centuries and continents, the hookah has been an instrument of cultural exchange and a symbol of reflection, refinement, and connection. European explorers introduced tobacco from the New World to the sophisticated elite classes of the Mughal and Persian Empires, where the hookah was born and elevated to a ritual and art form. With its intricate craftsmanship, adorned with artistic motifs, the hookah transformed into a status symbol and an aesthetic object. Ottoman culture popularized the hookah at coffeehouses, assimilating it into community and literary conversations. Western travelers encountering the hookah brought the custom back home, where it became a fashion in European social life. Today, the hookah has transcended borders to become a worldwide sensation.

In a fast-paced world, shisha offers a moment of stillness, a reason to gather, to relax, to have a meaningful conversation. The experience is not meant to be hurried, it’s about the connections that unfold through the smoke. While hookah has been beloved for centuries, it is continuously reinterpreted for modern times. The global hospitality brand HuqqA brings the heart of the shisha tradition vividly into the present, elevating it to a complete sensory and ceremonial experience in its luxurious venues.

Introducing the tradition and ceremony of the hookah to a wider audience, Mystic Mist: The Rituals of HuqqA explores the rich cultural history of shisha, and its worldwide social impact today among a new generation through the growing influence of the HuqqA brand.

Page count

256 pages

Number of illustrations

160

Language

English

Released on

November 2025

Dimensions

W 10 x L 13 x D 1.7 in

Cover materials

Silk Hardcover

ISBN

9781649805560

Weight

5.5 lb

Author

Sarah Khan, photography by Oliver Pilcher, in collaboration with Irem Kınay

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