Even though I was here in November, it was a hot, hot day in Jodhpur when I took this picture. The Mehrangarh Fort looms over the city of Jodhpur like a behemoth and while other forts in Rajasthan may be more beautiful to look at (Bikaner and Jaisalmer come immediately to mind), none is as imposing. It’s big enough to wander around at peace allowing one to take in the delicate artistry of its many walls and windows.

You could see this massive monument looming in the background when Christian Bale crawls out of a well to save Gotham City in Christopher Nolan’s snorefest “The Dark Knight Rises”. It was one of the very few scenes in the film that managed to wake me up and pay attention!

One of the chief pleasures of Jodhpur is getting lost in the narrow lanes of the old town, passing through ancient looking temples and between a sea of blue coloured walls of very old houses. It’s remarkably different from the ugly, noisy new city that sprawls uncontrollably beyond the clock tower. The old city is also home to the “Omelette Man”, who’s been making omelettes in his tiny little shop for 36 years and claims to hold the record for making the maximum no. of omelettes single-handedly in a day. He’s also the most enthusiastic street vendor I have ever come across, always making conversation with his customers and sometimes, even advising and admonishing them for being unhealthy. If someone looked too thin, he would mock them and ask them to eat more omelettes to get healthier. The stall was as cosmopolitan and busy as a place like that could get with rickshaw-wallahs, turbaned locals, European backpackers, Israelis, college-going boys and girls, policemen, all waiting patiently for a plate of masala cheese omelette.