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 cafe plaka sport of spearing tent pegs out of the ground with a lance from the back of a galloping horse. Desperate to win and fearful 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.
Buses go to Amritsar ( 65, 2 hours), Jammu ( 70, 2 hours), Chamba ( 80, 3 hours), Dalhousie ( 65, 2 hours), Dharamsala ( 65, 2 hours), Manali ( 300, 10 hours), Chandigarh ( 150, six hours) and Delhi ( 320, 11 hours).
Ghazal MULTICUISINE $$ (%2704448; Sector 17-C; meals 195-395; h8am11.30pm; a) A Chandigarh stalwart, grand Ghazal has an admirable Indian, Continental and Chinese menu. Ghazal cafe plaka special murg (cream-based chicken) or bhuna gohst (mutton) is nicely washed down with draught beer. Vegetarians cafe plaka are well catered for.
CROSSING INTO PAKISTAN Border Hours The border is open from 10am to 4pm daily, cafe plaka but get there at least half an hour before it closes. Foreign Exchange There s a State Bank of India (h10am-5pm Mon-Sat) which exchanges currency, but it s a tiny branch so play it safe and change money in Amritsar. Onward Transport From Wagah (Pakistan) there are buses and taxis to Lahore, 30km away. Sleeping & Eating If you have to stay overnight, there s the Aman Umeed Tourist Complex (%9780953882; Wagah border; r from 1500; a), which has just three rooms and a restaurant (mains 90 to 190). There are small stalls selling cafe plaka snacks and cold drinks. Visas Visas are theoretically available at the Pakistan embassy in Delhi; however, travellers are strongly urged to apply for a visa in their home country, where the process is usually more straightforward (see also p 1177 ).
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