The Haldighati Museum serves a two-fold purpose; the main one is to recreate, through realistic models, a light & sound performance and a mini theatre, scenes from the battle. The other purpose of the
Haldighati museum is to portray various aspects of the local rural life, and one can see the traditional ox-driven machinery used for the drawing of water, crushing oil seed or grinding grains, etc.
On entering the gate, a visitor is welcomed with the sound of traditional music of the region. The first port-of-call is the nearby museum, where a scale model of the entire battlefield, including both
war camps is to be seen. Beyond this is a gallery containing a series raised tableaux depicting the progressive stages of the campaign, and various reproduction suits of armour, weaponry and other artefacts are
on display.
Visitors are then invited to be seated and watch a short documentary film about the battle before they proceed to the next chamber, which concerns another dramatic piece of Mewar history; the sacrifice of
Panna Dhai, the heroic nursery maid of prince Udai Singh.
Following this sad and thought-provoking section, one enters the sound and light section, which is separated into four episodes to cover four historic events. The sound and light display is an imaginative way of
putting across tales from ancient history with dramatic impact.
The last part of the historical museum contains scale models of a selection of the regions monuments, such as the entire Chittorgarh Fort, Kumbhalgarh Fort, and the Eklingji Temples.
Then its outdoors, and a walk through the attractively laid out grounds where, here and there are realistic model recreations of rural scenes; a water wheel being operated by oxen, tribes people apparently
going about their daily lives, a gipsy family around their cart, and so on. |
