Haldighati is an important historical site in the context of Rajasthan, India. Actually, Haldighati is a mountain pass in the Aravalli range connecting districts of Rajsamand and Pali in Rajasthan. The place is at a comfortable distance of 40 kms from the city of Udaipur. The term Haldighati has been derived from the yellow colored soil of the place that gives a sense of turmeric (in Hindi, turmeric is called as 'Haldi' and valley is known as' Ghati').
If you are interested in historic battles and heroic deeds of the courageous soldiers, then Haldighati is the perfect place to visit. Haldighati is a significant historical site that has observed the battle of 1576. The battle of Haldighati was a huge combat between Rana Pratap Singh of Mewar and Raja Man Singh of Amber. This ferocious battle created amount of blood shed of the heroic soldiers and the red turned color of sand still speaks of those daring people.
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'.
History of Haldighati
Known for the bloodiest battle fought in the region, the Battle of Haldighati has an essential place in history. If you have a slight bent towards Indian history, you will know that the Indian history is incomplete without reference to the Battle of Haldighati.
This historic Battle of Haldighati has been fought on 21st June 1576 between Maharana Pratap, the Mewar King, and Emperor Akbar, a Mughal ruler. Even though it is one of the most significant battles in Rajput history, it was also the shortest battle ever fought in the past.
This ferocious fight fought on this narrow strip of mountains lasted for 4 hours, only leading to mass-scale death of the heroic soldiers of the time. The blood could be found all over the place, making it turned red instead of yellow in this case.
Sadly Maharana Pratap lost the battle to Raja Man Singh of Amber, one of the most trusted army generals of Mughals during the times.
Architecture of Haldighati
Haldighati is a unique historic mountain pass located in the Aravalli Mountain range. Haldighati derived its name from the term ‘Haldi’ means turmeric in English, used as a spice in Indian delicacies and ‘Ghati’ means valley which together makes the name Haldighati. The soil found in this region of Udaipur is yellow in color, hence the place is named Haldighati.
There is a cenotaph called chhatri in Hindi built on the place where the horse of Maharana Pratap, Chetak breathed his last. This cenotaph is located at a close distance of 4 Km from the Haldighati in pure white marble to pay respect and admire the contribution of the fastest horse in Indian history.
You can find Balicha village located close to the region known for its unique knowledge of arts and crafts via terracotta. There is a stunning garden in the name of Badshahi Bagh. The presence of ‘Chaitri-Gulab, original and authentic rose water, and ‘Gulkand’ (jam made from rose petals) is unique to this garden. The rose water is of great medicinal importance.
