The city of Faridkot is a municipal council in the district of Faridkot in the northern state of Punjab in India. It is a historic city and is an important political and administrative city of the state of Punjab.
Named after the famous Sufi Saint Baba Sheik Fariduddin Ganjshakar, Faridkot city has the district of Ferozepur to its north-west, Moga and Ludhiana districts to its north east, and districts of Bathinda and Sangrur to the south. The erstwhile name of Faridkot was Mokalhar and the city was founded in the 16th century by Bhallan of the Burai Jats.
The city of Faridkot has a rich history and was a princely state before the country’s independence. The origins of the place can be found to the Indus Valley Civilization. There are many sites in and around the city which speaks of the place’s history.
Faridkot is well connected by both train and road, and the nearest airport is the Amritsar International Airport at a distance of 125 km. There are quite a few industries in the town and these include mainly textile industry and small and medium size industries manufacturing sewing machines, bicycles, and machine tools.
Qilla Mubarak is an old fort in Faridkot and is a popular tourist site, known for its impressive structural and architectural brilliance. There is a beautiful garden inside the fort complex. The Raj Mahal Palace which now serves as a hospital is a well known heritage building in the city.
The Gurudwara Tilla Baba Farid and the Gurudwara Godari Sahib are two important religious sites for the Sikh community. The Darbar Gank which is a beautiful bungalow, the Fairy Cottage constructed by Maharaja Brijinder Singh in 1910-11, and the Check Tower at the Fairy Cottage entrance are other places of interest in the city.
The climate of Faridkot is characterised by hot and dry summers, short rainy monsoons and cold winters. During the summer months the temperatures soar and a dry dusty wind blows which makes the weather uncomfortable. Winters are chilly, especially during the nights. The months from October to March which characterise the winter and the spring season are the best time to visit Faridkot.
Faridkot was the capital town of the erstwhile princely State of Faridkot. The city is named after the famous Muslim spiritual poet Baba Farid. Baba Farid, whose work has found a prominent place in the holy Guru Granth Sahib, was employed as a laborer when he first came to this place. But on seeing a divine revelation, Sheikh Farid was allowed to depart. The basket given to him to carry earth, was seen floating without any support.
In his honor the town was renamed as Faridkot. The town now has a tomb of baba Farid called 'Chila Baba Farid'.
Faridkot has many fine structures, the most important being the former Secretariat building now housing the District Courts, Guest House, Clock Tower, Darbar Ganj and the stadium. The town also houses former ruler's palace and a fort.
The town of Faridkot also figures prominently in the struggle for Indian independence