Faridkot House, Lahore
| Faridkot House | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Status | Demolished |
| Type | Residence; later office |
| Architectural style | Blend of Mughal architecture and British architecture |
| Address | Between Mozang Road and Begum Road, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Coordinates | 31°32′55″N 74°18′54″E / 31.54861°N 74.31500°E |
| Current tenants | Evacuee Trust Property Board |
| Owner | Raja of Faridkot State |
| Grounds | Extensive gardens with date palms and trees imported from Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika |
Fairdkot House was a building in Lahore, Punjab which served as a residence of the Raja of Faridkot.
History
The area where it was located, between Mozang Road and Begum Road, was once known as Shutarkhana.[1] This name originated from the camel lines that were situated there when Anarkali served as the cantonment.[1] The house itself, along with another adjoining it, was originally owned by William Kirke.[1] Near the junction of Lytton and Edwardes Roads stood an old, neglected bungalow known as Bleak House.[1] Eventually, Shahdi Lal's residence was built on the site of Bleak House.[1]
Kirkie’s property later came into the possession of the Raja of Faridkot. Faridkot was a princely state in India, and its ruler was entitled to a salute of eleven guns.[2]
When the fifth annual conference of Indian Mohammedan Ladies was held in Lahore from 3 to 5 March 1918, the Raja of Faridkot placed Faridkot House at the disposal of the delegates for a week.[3] The conference was organized under the charge of Mrs. Mian Muhammad Shafi and Mrs. Mian Shah Din.[3] Some of the 400 ladies who came from Aligarh, Allahabad, Amritsar, Bulandshahr, Delhi, Jammu, Lahore, Ludhiana, Lucknow, Meerut, Rawalpindi, and Sialkot to attend the conference were accommodated here.[3]
Following the Partition of India in 1947, the building was taken over by the Evacuee Property Board and repurposed by the Settlement Department.[4] It housed the Property Claims Office where individuals displaced by partition filed claims for their lost properties.[4] Over time, the building deteriorated due to overuse, neglect, and vandalism, and was eventually demolished.[4]
There is also a Faridkot House in Delhi, India.[5][6]
Architecture
Faridkot House was constructed using British bricks and featured an architectural blend of Mughal and Western styles.[4] The entrance was marked by a tall, multi-foiled arch surmounted by a half-dome, with crenellations along the parapet.[4] Stucco rosettes adorned the spandrels of the arch.[4] The estate was surrounded by extensive gardens featuring date palms and trees imported from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanganyika, as well as banyan and peepal trees, believed to be centuries old.[4] It included quarters for servants, kitchens, garages for carriages, stables for horses, tube wells, and electric poles.[4] The interiors were furnished with carpets, curtains, chandeliers, and other fittings.[4] The residence featured verandahs with ventilators for air and light, cast-iron circular staircases, waterspouts, and chimneys for the fireplaces.[4]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e Goulding, Henry Raynor (1976). Old Lahore: Reminiscences of a Resident. Universal Books. pp. 47–48.
- ^ Valko, William G. (1969). The Illustrated Who's who in Reigning Royalty: A History of Contemporary Monarchical Systems. Community Press. p. 231.
- ^ a b c Moslem World. Hartford Seminary Foundation. 1919. p. 169.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "The Faridkot House | Shehr | thenews.com.pk". www.thenews.com.pk. Archived from the original on 2025-04-17. Retrieved 2025-04-17.
- ^ "Faridkot maharaja's daughters to inherit Rs. 20,000 crore assets". The Hindu. 2013-07-29. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2025-04-17.
- ^ "Delhi's every 'just another old building' could be an Art Deco gem". The Indian Express. 2023-07-06. Retrieved 2025-04-17.