A recently made public video of yoga guru Baba Ramdev in an outdoor exercise session with what internet users have dubbed an “Ayurvedic hookah” has ignited a fresh wave of public interest, social media banter and medical skepticism.
Baba Ramdev in the video is seen sitting with a woman outside, utilizing a long flexible tube attached to a special apparatus. It was believed that he used mustard seeds, carom seeds (ajwain), camphor (kapoor), licorice root (mulethi), turmeric (haldi), and kakda singhi (pistacia integerrima) in this mixture of traditional botanicals and kitchen spices.
In fact, Ramdev advertised the inhalation of this aromatic vaporized mixture for its health benefits, which he claimed are helpful for lung function, respiratory pathways, and metabolism. Internet reacts with humor and skepticism.
The image of the renowned yoga advocate holding a device that looked like a hookah quickly spread to digital platforms. Social media users quickly dubbed the demonstration Baba Ramdev’s Herbal Hookah, and memes, sarcasm, and heated criticism flooded in.
Supporters saw this session as a clever way to leverage ancient Ayurvedic smoke therapies (Dhumapana), but critics questioned Ramdev’s long-standing position against smoking culture.
Smoking (or vapor) was the issue of concern; promoting such practices under health promotion could be confusing to the consumer and trivialize the dangers of smoking. The Legal Framework Around Herbal Hookahs.
The controversy also arises from changing legal standards for alternative smoking setups in India. Court rulings have made a clear distinction between tobacco-based hookahs and non-nicotine, botanical alternatives.
Bombay High Court (October 2025): Recognized that tobacco-free herbal hookahs do not fall under the strict prohibitions governing tobacco products in public venues, provided they contain zero nicotine or tobacco leaf matter.
Madhya Pradesh High Court (June 2026): A similar ruling allowing herbal hookah setups and use, as state prohibitions are primarily aimed at tobacco use and associated public health hazards.
These judicial verdicts allow for commercial and private use of tobacco-free herbal hookahs in some jurisdictions, but legal tolerance does not automatically equate to medical endorsement. What Health Experts Say About Smoke Inhalation
Medical professionals and pulmonologists have expressed immediate concerns about the practice of inhaling burnt or heated plant matter, whether it contains tobacco or nicotine.
क्या इस तरीके से धुआं लेना सही है? क्या इससे फेफड़ों को नुकसान नहीं होगा? इस वीडियो पर डॉक्टर लोग अपनी राय बताएं.@grok तुम भी जानकारी दो - इससे शरीर को क्या नुकसान हो सकता है. pic.twitter.com/UkH7r7tp6q
— Ranvijay Singh (@ranvijaylive) September 11, 2026
Healthcare experts say that the combustion or vaporization of herbal ingredients (including therapeutic ones such as turmeric, licorice, and carom seeds) can lead to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and carbon monoxide gas in the lungs. These hot gases and micro-particles can irritate delicate bronchial tissues, exacerbate asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and put additional strain on the cardiovascular system.
While traditional Ayurveda does include Dhumapana (therapeutic herbal smoking) under strict controlled dosage and clinical conditions, modern medical consensus remains firm: inhaling ambient smoke or unfiltered combustion byproducts poses tangible risks to lung and heart health that often outweigh unproven herbal benefits.
