Haldighati is a mountain pass in the Aravalli Range of Rajasthan in western India which connects Rajsamand and Pali districts. The pass is located at a distance of 40 kilometres from Udaipur. The name 'Haldighati' is believed to have originated from the turmeric-coloured yellow soil of the area.
Haldighati extends as a thrilling tourist attraction that flares the merciless battlefield. A single thought of those courageous soldiers standing on the exact lands where they fought, send chills down one's spine. Haldi Ghati captures major attention because the terra firma made the battlefield to the legend, Maharana Rana Pratap and his loyal horse, Chetak. The place gives a nostalgic feeling as this was the same place where Chetak, the heroic mount of Rana Pratap, breathed his last after leaving his master to a safe place.
At a distance of around 4 kms from the battlefield, a cenotaph (chattri) is built in pure white marble. This cenotaph is dedicated to the gallant horse Chetak as a sign of respect and admiration. The bloody battle of Haldighati has been captured an inescapable place in the History of India. The battle has been known since ages in murals and ballads. In the words of Col. James Todd (a British author), Haldighati has been referred as 'Thermopile of Mewar'.
The term Haldighati has been derived from the yellow colored soil of the place that gives a sense of turmeric. This place was the battlefield for the legend Maharana Pratap and also the place where his mount, Chetak, breathed his last. Maharana Pratap erected a small monument for his horse at the place where Chetak fell. The cenotaph still exists at Haldighati. The Government of India commissioned the construction of Maharana Pratap National Memorial in the year 1997. The memorial features a bronze statue of the Maharana astride Chetak.
There is a museum named Maharana Pratap Museum which displays many weapons and paintings of the famous battle. This imaginative museum was started in the year 2003. Light and sound shows give a glimpse of the events inside the museum. Balicha Village, located at a short distance from the place, is famous for its terracotta crafts. The presence of 'Chaitri-Gulab' makes Badshahi Bagh famous. Original rose water and 'Gulkand' (jam made from rose petals) that has immense medicinal value are prominent highlights of this garden.
On the birth anniversary of Maharana Pratap Singh ever year, tribute is paid to this great son of Mewar through cultural programs with the participation of tribal groups. The Chetak Horse Festival was established in the year 1992 by Maharaj Narendra Singh with the purpose to preserve, promulgate and promote the Marwari breed of Horses in India and abroad.
