Baba Ramdev is back in the news, this time for bringing out “Ayurvedic Hookah”. In the video, Ramdev could be seen mixing ingredients in the hookah setup and listing its benefits. The video has gone viral, and netizens are strongly reacting to it.

While the video does not say that Baba Ramdev or Patanjali has added that Ayurvedic hookah set up in their portfolio, it does show Ramdev talking about its alleged benefits.

What are the ingredients in Ramdev’s Ayurvedic Hookah?

In the video, one can see Ramdev mixing a slew of ingredients in the hookah setup, like turmeric, mustard seeds, carom seeds, camphor, and kakda singi. Lastly, he places the camphor, lights it up, and comments, “Hookah is ready”

How Safe is it?.

The big question that arises is: how safe is the Ayurvedic hookah as demonstrated by Baba Ramdev?

If we go by the ingredients, then certain ingredients may be harmful to health when inhaled after burning them.

Turmeric: Generally safe as food, but burning it produces smoke and fine particulate matter that can irritate the airways.

Mustard seeds: Burning them can release irritating compounds and smoke; they aren’t established as safe for inhalation.

But the main problem is Camphor?

Smelling a mixture also means inhaling the combustion particles + irritating vapours (For some people) + camphor. Smelling Camphor in large and unregulated quantities may be harmful.

While Camphor may not be inherently harmful if smelled in very small amounts, and that too very rarely, there are sources that say that smelling for a longer duration in an undiluted amount can irritate the nose and sinuses.

In short, one would say that inhaling such ingredients through a hookah setup should not be done without expert medical advice.

Netizens’ Reaction To Baba Ramdev’s Ayurvedic Hookah

Many netizens are questioning the logic behind preaching the benefits of inhaling such ingredients through a hookah setup.

Some people are even joking that Baba Ramdev will soon start other products in the name of Ayurveda, like Ayurvedic Bidi, cigarettes, pan masala, and alcohol.