Faridkot House, Lahore
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| Faridkot House | |
|---|---|
 Interactive map of Faridkot House | |
| General information | |
| Status | Demolished |
| Type | Residence; later office |
| Architectural style | Blend of Mughal architecture and British architecture |
| Location | 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.
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]