“Alcohol may be man’s worst enemy, but the Bible says love your enemy,” once remarked Frank Sinatra, the iconic American singer, and actor. Maharaja Bhupinder Singh, the legendary ruler of the royal state of Patiala, embodied Sinatra’s sentiment in both letter and spirit. His name became synonymous with a large peg of whiskey, attaining global fame as the renowned “Patiala Peg”.
The origins of the term are shrouded in manifold speculations, all of which revolve around Maharaja Bhupinder Singh, who governed the princely state of Patiala from 1900 until his demise in 1938. An enigmatic personality, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh ascended to the throne at a tender age of nine, evolving into a formidable warrior and a man of refined tastes.
Nitin Tewari, Head Mixologist at EkBar in Delhi, concurs with the numerous theories surrounding the Patiala peg. When conducting bartending trainings, he often shared the story that Maharaja Bhupinder Singh had a polo team consisting of legendary Sikh warriors, including himself. The Maharaja invited the Irish team, Viceroy’s Pride, for a friendly game of ‘tent pegging,’ a sport involving players on horseback collecting small objects with their spears. To ensure an advantage for his team, the Maharaja served enormous drinks to the Irish during the pre-match feast. Consequently, the Irish team, waking up groggy, did not perform at their best. When they complained about their drinks to the Maharaja, he famously replied, “Yes, in Patiala, our pegs are large!”
Varun Sudhakar, Reserve Brand Ambassador for Diageo, supports this narrative, citing references in Captain Amarinder Singh’s (grandson of Bhupinder Singh and ex-Chief Minister, Punjab) biography, stating that the legendary peg incident occurred during a cricket match against the Irish, not tent pegging.
While this remains the most popular narrative, other stories persist. According to local descendants of those who frequented the Maharaja’s courts, the Patiala peg holds an alternative meaning. The Maharaja, known for hosting grand parties, was habitually tardy and never arrived on time. Guests, unable to leave until his arrival, would continue drinking. The savvy ones would place a white napkin around their glass and ‘sip’ an empty glass all evening, enabling an early departure the next morning. A relevant quote fittingly captures this scenario: “Drink never made a man better, but it made many a man think he was better.” Another theory suggests that during similar parties, instead of continually pouring drinks while waiting for the Maharaja, attendees would pour one enormous peg and sip it throughout the evening, giving rise to the term Patiala Peg.
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