HISTORICAL BUILDINGS OF FARIDKOT STATE

SUBHASH PARIHAR

Of the small states born after the decline of the Mughal authority in the north-western
India during the later half of the eighteenth century, the Faridkot State was one. After
facing ups and downs for decades, the state came into its own when after the victory of
the British in the First Anglo-Sikh War in 1845, its ruler Pahar Singh who had helped the
British, was conferred with the title of Raja in 1846 (he was in occupation of the region
since 1827). Although Pahar Singh died in 1849, the state enjoyed an uninterrupted
century of peace and progress, under the successive rule of Wazir Singh (1849-1874),
Bikram Singh (1874-1898), Balbir Singh (1898-1906), Brij Indar Singh (1906-1918), and
Har Indar Singh (1918-1948). As the last two rulers, namely, Brij Indar Singh and later
his son Har Indar Singh were in their childhood at the time of their accession to the
throne, during the waiting period the state business was looked after by the Council of
Regency (1906-1914), Rai Bahadur Ganga Sahai (1914-16) and the Council of
Administration (1918-34), respectively.

As all the rulers were well aware of the fact that nothing impresses upon the subject the
authority of its rulers more than monumental buildings, most of them evinced great
interest in building activity, adorning the state with various types of magnificent
structures for their personal and public use.

By the time Balbir Singh sat on the throne in 1898, the fort (but for its Gurdwara) and
Shahi Samadh (Royal Tomb) had already been built by the previous rulers. The main
buildings (unless stated otherwise, all of these are at Faridkot) which were built during
the brief reign of Raja Balbir Singh were the following:

Raj Mahal: Situated in the midst of the town, the complex comprises the main palace,
another building called Tasveer Ghar, a baradari, a gurdwara, three small pavilions, two
swimming pools, and numerous service quarters, all in a vast walled enclosure, originally
entered through a majestic gateway (called Deodhi) (Figs. 1-2).
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The palace building and the original main gateway of the enclosure are beautiful
specimens of the local version of the Gothic Revival style of architecture, characterised
by narrow pointed arches, and tall spires, contemporaneously prevalent in Europe.

The dominant elements of the palace are the wooden balconies of the middle storey, and
open arcades crowning the top of the building. The facade of the deodhi is a graceful
composition dominated by a double-storey sunken recess in the middle, flanked by
double pilasters extending the whole height of the building.

Actually the whole complex was built in stages. Even the main palace building was
constructed in three stages. The western part was built by Raja Balbir Singh, during the
reign of his father Bikram Singh. The eastern part and the deodhi were added later,
during his own reign. It must have been before 1902 as these buildings are mentioned in
the Aina-i Brar Bans, a history of the Faridkot State, published at the end of 1902. The
southern hall of the main palace and small pavilions in the park were built circa 1937-40
by the last Raja Har Indar Singh. About 1945-46, the deodhi was separated from the
complex by a wall and converted into a hospital named after its builder—Balbir Hospital.

Some people give the credit for building of the main palace to a local master craftsman,
named Mistri Jagat Singh.

Clock Tower: Situated not far away from the Raj Mahal is the Clock Tower, the tallest
structure in the area and thus forming a landmark (Fig. 3). Built in true gothic revival
style, it is in the form of a free-standing tower, having four easily seen clock-faces on
cardinal sides.

A stairway on the south-western side gives access to the first storey from where a ladder
built in the southeast pier reaches the third storey where there is the mechanism of the
clock, manufactured by the company JOYCE, Whitchurch, Salop [United Kingdom], in
1929. It was supplied by Anglo-Swiss Watch Co., Calcutta. Most probably this was the
new clock which was installed during the period of the Council of Regency (1918-34) at
a cost of five thousand rupees, a considerably big amount at that time.
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The bell of the clock tower that rings every hour bears the company name as TAYLOR
LOUGHBORO which is most probably Messers Taylors Eayre and Smith Ltd., the
leading bell foundry of the world, established in 1784.

In its original form, the clock tower was not an isolated structure. It was surrounded by
four buildings, each crowned with a conical spire. These structures visible in an old
photograph, I have seen for myself. The whole ensemble must have presented a
spectacular skyline, easily appreciated in those days when there were no higher buildings
around. The significance of a clock tower at the beginning of the twentieth century
cannot be exaggerated when hardly any individual could afford a watch.

It is known that Raja Balbir Singh got this Clock Tower erected as a memorial to Her
Majesty the British Queen Victoria who died on 22 January 1901. Hence the date of
erection of the clock tower could be 1901-02. Due to its regular maintenance, the
building still survives in a good condition.

Darbarganj Rest House: This building, situated to the west side of the road to
Ferozepur, was originally erected for the marriage party of Raja Balbir Singh’s sister,
Bibi Balwant Kaur (Fig. 4). The marriage took place on 24 June 1898. Later, it was
nominated for the residence of the visiting rulers of neighbouring states and the Agent of
the Governor General.

Stylistically, the building has architectural elements in common with the Clock Tower,
Raj Mahal, and its Deodhi, all built during the reign of Raja Balbir Singh.

It comprises twelve suites; each with an attached toilet, and a dressing room. The
complex has a common kitchen, drawing room and dining room. The six suites on the
back side, arranged around an open courtyard were added during the reign of Har Indar
Singh, about 1945-46.

The building is now being used by the District Administration as Circuit House.

Fairy Cottage, Bir Chahal: Situated some six kilometres east of Faridkot, in Bir Chahal,
the main buildings are in good condition (Fig. 5).
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The main building is an asymmetrical structure, comprising four big rooms, three of
which have semi-hexagonal projections. A double roof, the lower consisting of wooden
planks and the outer sloping roof made of sheets of corrugated iron, covers the building.

To the east of the main cottage, there is another suite of rooms, probably the one referred
to by Makhan Singh as Zanana Kothi. It consists of rooms of various shapes and sizes
arranged on three sides of an open court.

A small clock tower, at present without any clock, stands to the south of the central
cottage. It is a square structure with rounded corners. Each side has one entrance covered
with a pointed arch flanked by engaged double pillars. The corners of the parapet of the
building are marked with small domical towers and in the centre rises a capping of
unique shape.

To the north of the main cottage is a large pucca tank with two sets of stairs. And outside
the palace enclosure is a well which supplied water to the inhabitants of the palace.

At present, the buildings of the cottage are painted red with decorative elements picked
up in white. The gable of the roof of the main kothi is adorned with a chain moulding.
Another decoration is a course of carved bricks just below the parapet. At the middle
level of the outer walls also runs a band of lozenge shapes, again formed with carved
brick.

The clock tower too is adorned with similar designs. Arabesque designs decorate the
spandrels of arches.

The texture of corrugated iron roof itself provides a decorative element. And the narrow
parapet of the main building has a cresting of cut metal, also seen on the roof of the main
hall of the Mahal Mubarak in the fort.

In the Aina-i Brar Bans, this building is described as Shikargah or the hunting house. The
work also records its erection by Raja Balbir Singh. The Raja himself writes in his
personal dairy for the year 1900 that the house-warming of this “Beer Kothee” named
“Fairy Cot[tage]” took place on 8th April. It gives us the precise date of building the
structure.
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Makhan Singh, the author of a Souvenir on the occasion of the Investiture Ceremony of
Raja Har Indar Singh (published from Lahore, about 1934), praises that the building
“presents a scene of unique beauty along with the adjoining building of Zanana Kothi and
Clock Tower in front of the entrance to the compound.”

Council Kothi, Faridkot: Standing near Bus Stand, the building is in a good condition
(Fig. 6). During the minority periods of Raja Brij Indar Singh and Raja Har Indar Singh,
the building was used by the Administrative Council for holding its meetings, hence the
name.

The kothi is an arrangement of eight central rooms, fronted on each side by a verandah
and one room in each corner. The upper storey rooms are arranged in such a manner that
these provide a simple but interesting skyline to the whole. The building depends for its
beauty on its simplicity and harmonious proportions.

Originally the building was surrounded by a low boundary wall, entered from the
southern side. Now the main entrance is from the eastern side.

The Aina-i Brar Bans has it that Raja Balbir Singh got prepared ek vasih ahata, aur bagh
aur alishan mahlat (a vast enclosure, and garden, and splendid palaces) for his brother
Kunwar Gaj Indar Singh. Probably, this palace is the building referred to.

In a proposed map of Jubilee Cinema, drawn in 1935, this building is marked as “Indar
Niwas (Formerly Council Kothi).” “Indar” in the name probably refers to Sardar Indar
Singh, the President of the Administrative Council when Raja Har Indar Singh was still a
minor.

Now the kothi is the residence of the family of Kunwar Bharat Indar Singh, son of
Kunwar Manjit Indar Singh, the brother of Raja Har Indar Singh.

***

When Raja Balbir Singh died on 15 February 1906, he had no son and his younger
brother Kunwar Gaj Indar Singh had already died in 1900. The Raja declared his elder
nephew Brij Indar Singh (born 26 October 1896) to be his successor. But as the new Raja
was just a little above nine, a Council of Regency was formed to administer the State.
The Council comprised a President, Sardar Bahadur Rasaldar Partab Singh, and two
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members under him—Sardar Narain Singh and M. Adbul Ghafur Khan, all appointed by
the British. In June 1909, Sardar Dayal Singh Man was made the President. But the
Council was abolished in April 1914 and for the next two years and seven months Rai
Bahadur Ganga Sahai superintended the administration under the control of the Political
Agent. On attaining adulthood, Brij Indar Singh took control of the State in November
1916. However, like Balbir Singh he too was not destined to live long and died of
influenza on 22 December 1918. During this period (1906-18), a number of buildings of
State and public use were added, the chief among them were the following:

Davies Model Agriculture Farm and Farmer’s House: It is situated on the periphery
of the town (Fig. 7). Only the gate of the enclosure is extant now. Formerly, the complex
also had a nice little garden having a small artificial hill and a tank for boating in the
centre.

The gateway bears the foundation inscriptions in Gurmukhi, Urdu and English. In all the
three languages, it is recorded that the ‘Davies Model Agricultural Farm and Farmer’s
House’ was designed by Sardar Dayal Singh Man, the President of the Council of
Regency, and that its foundation stone was laid by Honourable Colonel H.S. Davies,
Commissioner and Superintendent, Jullundur Division, Political Agent for the State, on
Saturday the 18th of February 1910.

Makhan Singh gives that the agricultural farm was established to improve the general
state of agriculture and to practically demonstrate the agriculturists the sowing of selected
seeds for crops like wheat, cotton, sugarcane and others, and the use of improved
implements and modern scientific methods. The farm was managed by a Superintendent,
a graduate of the Lyallpur Agriculture College. Dairy and Poultry Sections were also
attached to the farm.

Now the enclosure is occupied by the office of the District Agriculture Officer and some
district level departments of the Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana.

Dane’s Granaries (also called Elevator)

The A’ina-i Brar Bans records a five years long famine in the Faridkot State. The years
1905-06, 1907-08 and 1910-11, all were the years of scanty rains. One solution to the
 7

problem was to erect granaries and store grain reserves which could be used in the time
of crisis. The Faridkot State built two granaries, the first in 1911 and the second in 1946.
Probably, keeping in view of the convenience of transport both of these were built near
the railway line.

Of these, the Dane’s Granary is situated near Railway Station, on Bholuwala crossing
side (Fig. 8). It comprises a long row of 10 chambers. An inscription on the eastern side
of the building tells that it was designed by Sardar Dayal Singh Man, President of the
Council of Regency, and named after Sir Louis William Dane, the erstwhile Lieutenant
Governor of Punjab who inaugurated the structure on 2 nd March 1911. However, the
building was found unsuitable for the purpose for which it was erected. Immediately, the
granary locally known as ‘Gola’ (completed in 1786) at Bankipore (West Bengal), comes
to mind which was designed by Captain John Garstin, but was never used as it was found
unfit for use.
Now the building is being used by some migrant labourer families for their
accommodation.

Lady Dane-Rani Suraj Kaur Zenana Hospital: Situated in the Kanhaiya Chowk, it is
not far away from the Clock Tower. Now it houses the office of the District Health
Officer (Fig. 9).

The building comprises two blocks of rooms, joined in the middle by a long arcaded
corridor. This well-designed zenana hospital had twelve beds for indoor patients. The
Lady Doctor at the hospital about 1934 was an MBBS, educated on State stipend at the
Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi.

The building bears inscriptions in English, Gurmukhi and Urdu, each recording the
foundation of the building by Lady Dane on 1 st March 1911. Interestingly, the next day,
2nd March 1911, the husband of Lady Dane, Sir Louis William Dane, performed the
opening ceremony of the Dane’s Granaries. Another inscription in English, also fixed on
the façade of the hospital records the opening of the hospital by, again by Lady Dane, on
12th March 1912.

State Stables: To the west of the fort, on the circular road of the town are situated the
State Stables (Fig. 10). The complex is a large walled in enclosure entered through a
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projected gateway in the east wall. It also incorporated a motor garage, a motor
mechanical workshop and a veterinary hospital.

As recorded in the tri-lingual inscription on the gate of the complex it was erected in
1912.

Some parts of the complex have crumbled whereas some other buildings have undergone
modifications and being used for private residence.

New Guest House: Situated to the west of the Darbarganj Rest House, originally, the
New Guest House was surrounded by a well laid out garden (Fig. 11). High officers on
visit to the State stayed here. As per inscription fixed on its eastern side, it was built in
1912.

In plan, the building comprises four suites of rooms attached to two drawing rooms, all
surrounded by a verandah, occupied in each corner by a small room.

Now it is being used as residence of the Chief Judicial Magistrate of the district.

Brijindra College & Balbir High School Complex: Schools in the Faridkot State were
first started in 1875 by Raja Bikram Singh. The Middle School of the State was raised to
the status of an Anglo-Vernacular High School in April 1901 and named ‘Balbir
Installation High School’. However, the building complex for the school was provided
twelve years later, in 1913, as is recorded in a marble inscription (Figs. 12-13). It cost the
State 73,000 rupees. The complex comprising the main central teaching block, two side
boarding blocks, and the Principal’s residence, is located on the Chahal Road.

In 1942 the institution was made an Intermediate College and two years later a Degree
College. The school branch was shifted to the north boarding block under the new name
—Balbir High School. After the merger of the State in PEPSU in 1948, both the
institutions were taken over by the government.

The central school building now accommodates Government Brijindra College. The east
wing still serves as the College Boarding but the west boarding wing as pointed earlier,
now houses the Balbir High School which was shifted to it in 1943.

About the year 1915, the school had 538 students out of them 132 were boarders.
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Model Cantonments: Of the cantonments which comprised Officers’ bungalows, office

blocks, magazine, barracks, stables, workshops, a hospital, and a gurdwara, only two
buildings survive in their original form—the Gurdwara and another building which was
probably the hospital. These are situated about two kilometres southwest of the town.

The gurdwara building still serves its purpose but the other building now houses the
Officers’ Mess. The gurdwara building comprises a central hall having a higher portion
on the western side and verandahs on the remaining three sides a chamber in each corner
(Fig. 14). The main hall is covered with a pitched roof.

The hospital contained three wards the largest of which had eight beds, the two other
wards being devoted to serious and eye cases respectively (Fig. 15). In addition there was
a small isolation ward, and well equipped operating theatre, dispensary and store room.

Raja Balbir Singh is also known to have built fine cantonments for a Corps in 1904. At
least some of these buildings were designed by the Raja himself. These cantonments were
opened by Sir Charles Rivaz, K.C.S.I., Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab, in January
1905.

Stud Stable at Sikhanwala Bir: It is situated near the village Nathuwala Nawan, some
ten kilometres east of Faridkot (Fig. 16). It is a longitudinal shed-like structure oriented
along east-west axis. At each end are two living rooms. This stable was built by the
Council of Regency during the reign of Raja Brij Indar Singh (1906-1914). It adds that
the building was found unsuitable for the purpose for which it was erected.

Model village (Kot Kapura): Built by the Council of Regency, during the minority of
Raja Brij Indar Singh, it was situated in the locality now known as Purana Shahr or the
old town. The total area is now filled up with new buildings. Only some original arches
of buildings are still to be seen on the road from Jaurian Chakkian to Bus Stand.

In addition the above-mentioned buildings, a school, a Police Station at Kot Kapura, were
also erected during this period. The Police Station was a quite impressive building but it
was demolished to be replaced by a new characterless structure.

***
 10

At the time of the death of Brij Indar Singh, his elder son Har Indar Singh (born 29
January 1915) was less than three years old. A Council of Administration, under the
Presidentship of Sardar Indar Singh was formed to carry out the management. It ruled for
more than one and a half decade. Raja Har Indar Singh was invested with power on 17
October 1934. The following buildings were erected during this period (1918-47):

Harindra Hospital: Situated in the middle of the road between Railway Station and
Clock Tower, it consists of a rectangular central block of rooms to which are added
another irregular block in the middle of the back side and diagonal wings at corners (Fig.
17). At the middle of the front side of the central block is a porte-cochere.

A contemporary account of the hospital relates that it had arrangement for forty indoor
patients and six family wards. It was provided with up-to-date equipment and
arrangement for X-Rays, sterilisation, laboratory, operation theatre, anaesthetising room
and infectious diseases block. Also it provided arrangement for rabies treatment. All
these departments were housed in these rooms. The south wing accommodating maternity
ward was a later addition. Simple rooms in the east corner, which were also added later,
were meant for post mortem and patients suffering from contagious diseases.

An interesting symbol is moulded on all the three facades of the porte-cochere of the
hospital. It shows a wand with two serpents twined round it. In Greek mythology, this
symbol is called Caduceus.

The foundation stone of the hospital building was laid by Mr. J.A.O. Fitzpatrick, Agent to
the Governor General Punjab States, on 8TH March 1929. This is recorded by three
inscriptions in English, Gurmukhi, and Urdu. Another inscription gives that the hospital
was opened by the same Mr. Fitzpatrick on 19TH November 1931.

The foundation stone of the maternity ward was laid by Sardar Indar Singh, on 5 TH
Besakh 2003 (February 1946). Waliahad Aftikhar Ali Khan of Malerkotla opened it on
28TH January 1947.

The hospital building, designed by the German Chartered architect Mr. Roland Hotz,
practising in Simla who later also designed the Secretariat Building, cost the State
exchequer two lakh rupees.
 11

Separate kothis were also built to accommodate the Chief Medical Officer of the State
and the Lady Doctor. The former, not extant now, was situated within the precincts of the
present government residence of District Sessions Judge, to the southwest of the railway
crossing on the road to Talwandi, and the later behind Lady Dane Rani Suraj Kaur
Zenana Hospital, still being used by the Chief Medical Officer

The building besides serving as Civil Hospital also now accommodates the District Civil
Surgeon’s Office.

Gurdwara in the Fort: The only building added to the fort during the reign of Raja Har
Indar Singh was its gurdwara, the foundation of which was laid by the Raja himself on
13th December 1920 (Fig.18). It must have been reserved for the exclusive use of the
king, his family, and courtiers. Standing on a high platform, it comprises a hall,
surrounded by an arcaded verandah on three sides and two rooms in its north wall. The
northern wall also has a semi-octagonal recess in front of which is fitted a light pavilion
for placing Guru Granth Sahib. The provision of this recess corresponding to a mihrab in
a mosque is interesting, and it appears that its designer was a Muslim.

State Dharmshala: The structure, situated in the Hukki Chowk, comprises a large hall,
fronted with a deep verandah (Fig. 19). Each of the north and south sides of the hall has a
mezzanine floor. The north and south sides of the verandah are closed to form small
rooms, the north one accommodating a staircase giving access to mezzanine floors on the
sides of the hall and the gallery above the verandah.

An inscription on the outer wall of the building records that the hall was reconstructed
and remodelled in year 1924, and that its foundation stone was laid by Raja Har Indar
Singh on 9th February of the year.

The building now under the control of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee
(SGPC), serves as a gurdwara.

Civil Secretariat: This splendid building is situated near the Railway Station, and being
used for accommodating District Courts (Fig. 20).

The structure is laid symmetrically about both the axes. It consists of three parts—the
central block and symmetrically placed north and south blocks. But for the back side each
 12

of the other three cardinal sides of the building is fronted with a porch. The middle part of
the building consists of a large domed octagonal hall surrounded by a corridor further
attached to a number of rooms of various sizes. It formed the Central Administrative
Block. The octagonal hall was meant for holding ijlas-i khas or special meeting. It
accommodated the offices of the King, his Private Secretary and the ADC (aide-de-
camp, a military officer acting as secretary and confidential assistant). The Secretary’s
office was set around the octagonal passage. The rear portion of the block comprises two
floors. The ground floor accommodated the Public Works Department (PWD) offices and
the upper floor the offices of the Accountant General, Mir Munshi, Audit Officer,
Inspector of Schools, Mechanical Engineer and PWD draftsman.

The north and south blocks are symmetrically disposed on the sides of the main block.
Each of the blocks comprises an open-to-sky square courtyard surrounded by a pillared
corridor, opening into surrounding rooms. The north wing was reserved for the Judicial
Courts and south wing for the Revenue Courts, offices of the Municipality and Co-
operative Departments.

The main facade of the building was the west one. The exterior takes a pyramidal shape
with highest dome on the central part but lower crowning structures on sides. The skyline
of the building is made attractive by disposing domed chhatris and other decorative
elements on the parapet.

The main hall of the building is roofed with a double dome, i.e., the ceiling of the hall
below is not formed by the shell of the dome visible from outside but these are two
separate shells with space in between. The adoption of such a large dome to a secular
building was a novelty. It had a dramatic effect on the townscape. Probably, it was
inspired by the large dome of Viceroy’s Palace at Delhi, designed by the British architect
Edwin Lutyens, and officially inaugurated in 1931, just two years back. The only other
example of such a large dome in the whole of the State is seen on the Gurdwara Dasvin
Patshahi at Kot Kapura.

The foundation stone of the building was laid by Sir James Fitzpatrick, Agent to the
Governor General of Punjab States, on 23 rd December 1933. It was opened by Raja Har
 13

Indar Singh on 18th October 1934, in commemoration of his investiture. It is amazing to

note that such a huge complex was built within a short period of less than ten months.

This is one of the only two State buildings the name of whose architect is known for
certain. It was also designed by Roland Hotz, the architect who had just completed his
previous project of building the Harindra Hospital.

This largest and finest building of the State was the costliest too. It cost the State Rs
3,50000 at a time when the total annual revenue of the State was about Rs 20,00000, i.e.,
17.5% of the annual revenue.

Orphanage [Now Police Lines]: Situated on the Faridkot-Kot Kapura Road, it

comprises a large walled-in enclosure, along the inner side of the east and west walls of
which are rows of large halls and other rooms (Fig. 21). The halls along the east wall are
arranged in two storeys and fronted with a verandah on the inner side.

It was built by Raja Har Indar Singh in the name of his mother Maharani Mahindar Kaur,
about 1934 when the Raja had declared that he would not like to see any beggar in his
State.

After the dissolution of the State in 1948, the building was given over to the Police
Department. From 1960 to 1972 it accommodated Government College of Education.
Then on the formation of the Faridkot District in 1972, it was again given over to the
Police Department.

Queen Mary’s General Hospital [Now Civil Hospital], Kot Kapura: It is situated on
the Kot Kapura-Faridkot Road and still serves the original purpose for which it was built
(Fig. 22).

The approach to the main block of the hospital is through a porch which gives access to a
raised long verandah having a small room on either side. The back wall of the verandah
communicates with one small and four large rooms. This row of rooms again opens into a
verandah at the back in the middle of which is projected a small suite of three rooms and
a porch. This suite served as the operation theatre.

Some openings of the building are screened with delicate lattice-work, composed of
small four-petalled flowers having a larger eight-petalled flower at the centre.
 14

The foundation stone of the building named after the Queen Mary, the wife of the British
King George V (1865-1936), was laid by Raja Har Indar Singh himself in May 1935. It
was opened the next year on 21st November 1936, by Lt. Col. H. Wilberforce Bell, Agent
to the Governor General Punjab States.

Gurdwara Dasvin Patshahi (Kot Kapura): Situated in the midst of the town, on the
road to Jaitu, it is still the central Sikh shrine of the town (Fig. 23). In plan, the main
shrine covers an area of octagonal shape, comprising four large sides and four small
sides. The plan resolves itself into an octagonal central nave surrounded by a double-
storeyed aisle. The whole is encircled by a broad ambulatory. The nave is roofed with a
double dome.

On the back side of the main shrine, a masonry octagonal tank is still extant. Here
devotees take bath on ceremonial occasions. For ladies’ bath, each corner of the
enclosure has a walled-off section having a semi-circular small tank, connected to the
main one through underground channels.

In between the tank and the shrine is an octagonal domed pavilion, displaying some
sacred arms.

The foundation stone of this Gurdwara was laid on 17 th Magh 468 Nanakshahi, Bikrami
Samvat 1993 and Common Era 1937. The construction was financed by Maharaja Har
Indar Singh.

So we see that it was built just three years after the completion of the Secretariat building
at Faridkot. Judging from the shape of the dome of the two buildings, it is probable that
the same group of artisans were responsible for building them. It is interesting to note that
only two buildings of the State bear so large domes—one the court of the King and the
other the court of the True King, i.e., God.

It is believed that the tenth Guru Gobind Singh put up his camp on the site when after the
battle of Chamkaur (7 December 1705) he was being pursued by the forces of Wazir
Khan, the Mughal faujdar of Sirhind.

From a distance, the gurdwara bears some resemblance to the famous mausoleum of the
Pathan ruler Sher Shah Sur, at Sasaram (Bihar).
 15

Victory Stadium [Now Nehru Stadium]:

Situated opposite Brijindra College, the foundation of the stadium was laid on 14 May
1945 to commemorate the victory of Faridkot State Forces in the Second World War
(1939-1944) (Fig. 24). It was opened on 20th November 1945 by Mr. J.H. Thompson,
Resident for the Punjab States.

The complex comprises an oblong cyclists’ track the smaller sides of which are curved.
In the middle of the south side is placed a longitudinal structure having a porch which
opens in a central hall on the north side of which are two sets of steps each opening on
the stadium stairs. However, this approach was for chief guests. Public reached the
stadium stairs by one flight of steps at each of the east and west end of the building.

Arnold Storage: Situated near the railway crossing on the road to Talwandi, it was in use
up to early 1970s. Major General A.C. Arnold laid its foundation on 4 th December, 1946
(Fig. 25).

It comprises two blocks of storage bins, arranged in series and connected by stairways.
Additional stairways are provided at north and south ends.

The roofs of the bins are slightly curved so that the rain water may be drained
immediately.

Probably this was the last building commissioned by the rulers of Farikot State before the
merger of the State in PEPSU in 1948.

***