Base for a Water Pipe (Huqqa) with Poetry and Flowers

Creator Name

Unknown

Cultural Context

Indian

Date

18th century

Source

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

About the work

Curationist Object Description

This is the base of a shisha nargile, which is extremely popular for smoking tobacco at cafes. This Indian specimen is decorated with brass and silver, and embellished with Persian poetry in nasta‘liq script, including 11 humorous couplets referring to the relaxing feeling of smoking shisha. While this example would not be common at a bazaar, more modest hookahs would likely be available.

Metropolitan Museum of Art Object Description

Water pipe base

Work details

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Title

Base for a Water Pipe (Huqqa) with Poetry and Flowers

Creator

Unknown

Worktype

Hookah base; Smoking equipment

Metal

Cultural Context

Indian

Material

Zinc alloy; cast, engraved, inlaid with silver and brass (bidri ware)

Dimensions

H. 8 5/8 in. (21.9 cm) Diam. 7 1/4 in. (18.4 cm);
height: 21.907543centimetre

Technique

Language

Persian

Date

18th century

early 18th century

Provenance

Purchase, Friends of Islamic Art Gifts, 2003

Style Period

Rights

Public Domain

Inscription

Inscription: On the shoulders:
As my lips open up to praise the tobacco
My tongue will wash the flame with the water of Kawthar [a river in Paradise]
It is because of this [tobacco] that the temperament of nobles and plebeians has been drawn to it;
That is why with this burning head one has a love affair with every one.
On the body:
The refresher of gatherings of the intoxicated and the sober
the cheering of the temperament of free and the captive;
Its fumes increase the value of love
so that its perpetual speech becomes the name: O the loving!
It won’t let you hold your breath for a moment,
since it is independent of the watch of the hypocritical voices;
Its tongue would flow to a quaint saying
its tradition is the Sahih of Bukhari (the newly prepared one would be perfect with its vapors)
It removes melancholy from those affected;
a sigh comes out like the heat of life.
Its sounds are in the cities and orchards;
it is better than the noise made in the enameled goblet of the intoxicated ones
When it prepares for singing according to custom, it plays the qanun in nava
It sometimes is in tune with a flute, sometimes with a lute.
In its body there is continuous water with a loud cry;
Out of its passion, the heart of the fire rages;
Out of its leaf, it provides an apparatus for merry-making.
Its flute has a long life of pleasure-giving;
in praising it, the tongue is a zealous pen;
From its…there is commotion.
It has become happy from the ups and downs of the world,
because it is constantly in water and fire.

Translated by Manijeh Bayani

Marking: Stamped on bottom with a seal that appears to read: malikahu? (property of) Shaikh Ahmad

Location

Deccan, India

Source

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Subjects

Hookah; Floral motif; Calligraphy; Arabesque

Poetry

Topic

Curationist Metadata Contributors

Jessica Gengler; Abbad Diraneyya

All Works in Curationist’s archives can be reproduced and used freely. How to attribute this Work:

Unknown, Base for a Water Pipe (Huqqa) with Poetry and Flowers, early 18th century. Metropolitan Museum of Art. This elaborate hookah base is a unique part of the popular water pipe that is used to smoke shisha, a molasses-based tobacco product. Public Domain.

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