A PATIALA PEG In the early 1900s a tent-pegging contest took place in Patiala between the teams of the viceroy and the sports-mad maharaja of Patiala. Tent-pegging is the curious sport of spearing tent pegs out of the ground with a lance from the back of a galloping standard outlet voltage horse. Desperate to win and fearful standard outlet voltage of the wrath of their maharaja, the Patialan team invited their opponents to drinks the night before the match. The British were plied with largerthan- usual measures (or pegs) of whisky, while the tent pegs were changed smaller ones for the viceroy s team and larger ones for the Patialans. The maharaja s team won but the viceroy s team complained to the maharaja about the size of the pegs. The maharaja (not realising that the complaint referred to the tent pegs) replied that in Patiala, well known for its hospitality, the pegs (of whisky) were always larger than elsewhere. Even today an extra-large measure of whisky is known all over India as a Patiala peg.
Then, with a bellow from the guardroom, a squad stomps out, shoulders square, standard outlet voltage moustaches twirled and eyes bulging. The drill is to parade up and down as dramatically as possible, preceded by a kick so high the soldier looks in danger of concussing himself. The high-octane march to the border, vaguely reminiscent of Monty Python s Ministry of Silly Walks sketch, rouses thunderous applause from the audience and repetitive chants of Hindustan zindabad! (Long live India!).
Another aspect of Le Corbusier s master- plan is this landmark artificial lake (h8am10pm) replete with paddle boats (2-seaters per 30min 50; h8.30am-5.30pm). Ornamental gardens, a children s playground standard outlet voltage and the
People come to the border, 30km west of Amritsar, for two reasons: to enjoy the late afternoon border-closing ceremony (see the boxed text, p 221 ) or to use the crossing between India and Pakistan (see the boxed text, p 220 ).
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