New Delhi, April 6 -- Rationalists would scoff but Jodhpur's mesmerising Mehrangarh Fort may well have mythical powers. I have visited almost half-a-dozen times and still come away in awe of how it was built in a world without earthmovers and cranes. Rudyard Kipling's father's joke that it was the handiwork of giants seems the only plausible explanation.

I also return to Jodhpur because I love its food, which is now infinitely more varied and creative than I remember from earlier visits. From classic Rajasthani food at the decades-old Rohet Garh to the nouvelle Indian twists at its sister property, Mihir Garh, to the classic takes on roast chicken and spaghetti Bolognese at Daspan House, there is much to savour.

Within 20 minutes of lea...