SUN SETS ON AN EXQUISITE CRAFT

For centuries, Malabar brass hookahs adorned Arabian royal courts

- ANUJA SUSAN VARGHESE

It was everywhere. From the billowing tents beneath swaying palm trees in the Arabian desert, where weary souls sought respite from the sweltering heat, to royal households in the Middle East, this exquisite symbol of indulgence has been a ubiquitous part of regional identity.

The elegant hookah has always been an integral part of Persian, Arabic and Mediterranean cultures. Unknown to many, though, one of the most sought after hookah pots came from across the Arabian Sea from a small village in India’s southwestern coastline. For over three centuries these gleaming brass hookahs have crossed the ocean from Koyilandy in Kerala. Many of them still occupy pride of place in royal collections, carrying markings of the master artisan ‘Moosharis’ who crafted the traditional metal art.

The ‘Malabar’ or ‘Koyilandy’ hookahs still draw admiration but demand has dwindled, and because of high manufacturing cost and lack of support from the government, the ancient craft is inching towards a silent death.

Travelling through a maze of rocky dirt lanes, when we finally reached Rajan Kavil’s house, he was hard at work in a shed. Unwrapping the towel around his head, he gazed thoughtfully at the hookah we had brought with us. “Never would I have imagined that I would see this again. It has been 40 years,” said Rajan, caressing the gleaming metal. At the age of 14, when Rajan had started assisting his father in making hookahs, it was a thriving family business. Over the years, with the loss of demand, he gave up the traditional craft, switching to a sales business to sustain a livelihood.