A night at Rajasthan's warrior fort

Converted into a luxury hotel, the 230-year-old Alila Fort in Rajasthan will take you back into the world of warriors

It is a still, clear morning. The ramparts of Alila Fort in Bishangarh, Rajasthan, offer a 360-degree view of hills and the typical Aravalli desert scrub. Its crenellated walls are stark, offering foothold only to pigeons that roost here in the thousands. I survey the land below and wonder if this is what warriors of yore felt like, as they scanned the landscape and waited for enemies to huff their way up the steep granite hill, only to have boiling oil pour on them.
 

The interior