(Population 1991: 56419.) This town is about 20 km south of Ferozpur and 70 km north of Bathinda. It is connected by metalled roads with Ferozepur, Zira, Kotkapura and via Kotkapura with Moga, Muktsar, Jaitu and Bathinda. It is situated on Bathinda-Ferozepur railway section.
Faridkot is stated to have been founded by Faja Mokalsi some 700 years ago. He named it Mokal Har and built a fort here. Mukalsi was constructing or perhaps carrying out its repairs, when Baba Farid, the Saint was forced to work on its as a labourer. The story goes that it was noticed that the basket full of mud which the Saint was supposed to carry on his head did not rest on the head but kept about a feet higher, thereby giving no burden to the Saint. This miracle brought the Raja to his knees and he begged parden of the Saint.
The people of Faridkot originally used to live in the fort, but in 1873, a town was laid out beyond its walls and the people were settled there. In 1885, bazars, were built on an improved plan and town assumed a fine look. The succeeding rulers made improvements and additions more or less in a planned way so that the town today presents the appearance of a planned town. The fort and the dera of Baba Farid located just near the fort are the main places of historical importance in the town. The Saint is held in high esteem by all residents and they pay respect at the dera every Thursday. A big fair is held here on 23rd september every year which is supposed to be the birthday of the Saint.
[born 1915; succeeded 23 Dec. 1918]
(11 gun salute)
AREA: 1,652 km2 Privy Purse: 381,400R Accession:
20th August 1948
State: Pepsu Dynasty: Jaisal Religion: Sikh
Population:
97,034 (1892)
Present Ruler: HH Farzand-i-Sadaat Nishan Hazrat-i-Kaisar-i-Hind Maharaja MOHINDAR SINGH Brar Bans Bahadur, 13th Maharaja of Faridkot (1989/-)born October 1937, married and has issue.
Predecessors and Short History: Kapura,
descendant of Jaisal, founder of the principality of Jaisalmer in 1156, founded
in 1643 the principality of Kot Kapura which, in 1763, split into two states:
Kot Kapura which was conquered by the Sikhs of Lahore in 1807, and Faridkot, which
remained with the Jaisal dynasty. Ancestors and Rulers were....
· Sangar,
married and had issue.
· Bhallan, died 1643.
· Lala, married
and had issue.
· Chaudhuri Kapura Singh, born 1628, founder of Kot
Kapura, married and had issue. He died 1708.
· Chaudhuri Sajja Singh
1708/1710, died sp 1710.
· Chaudhuri Sukha Singh 1710/1731, born 1681,
married and had issue. He died 1731.
· Chaudhuri Jodh Singh, married
and had issue. He died 1767.
· Chaudhuri Tegh Singh, married and had
issue.
· Chaudhuri Jagat Singh, married and had issue. He died 1825.
· Daughter, married 1824 Maharaja SHER SINGH of Lahore.
·
Sardar Karam Singh, had living descendents after 1870.
· Sardar Jit
Singh, died 1767.
· Sardar HAMIR SINGH (see below)
· Sardar
Vir Singh
· Sardar Makhu Singh, ancestor of the families of Rori and
Matta.
1. Sardar HAMIR SINGH 1763/1782, married and had issue. He died 1782.
· Sardar MOHR SINGH (qv)
· Sardar DAL SINGH (qv)
2.
Sardar MOHR SINGH 1782/1798, married and had issue. He died 1798.
·
Sardar CHARAT SINGH (qv)
· Sardar Bhupa Singh
3. Sardar CHARAT
SINGH 1798/1804, married and had issue. He died 1804.
· Sardar GHULAB
SINGH (qv)
· Raja PAHAR SINGH (qv)
· Sardar Sahib Singh,
died 1831.
· Sardar Mehtab Singh
4. Sardar DAL SINGH 1804, died
1804
5. Sardar GHULAB SINGH 1804/1826, born about 1797, married Sardarni Dharam
Kaur and had issue. He died 5th November 1826.
6. Sardar ATTAR SINGH 1826/1827
(son), born 1823, died August 1827.
7. Raja PAHAR SINGH 1827/1849, Raja [cr.1846],
married and had issue. He died April 1849.
· Raja WAZIR SINGH (qv)
· Rajkumar Dip Singh, died 1845.
· Rajkumar Anokh Singh,
died 1845.
8. Raja WAZIR SINGH 1849/1874, born 1811. He died 22nd April 1874
(1).
9. HH Farzand-i-Sadaat Nishan Hazrat-i-Kaisar-i-Hind Raja BIKRAM SINGH
Brar Bans Bahadur 1874/1898 (son), born January 1842, married the daughter of
Raja Nahar Singh of Balabgarh and had issue. He died 8th August 1898.
·
HH Farzand-i-Sadaat Nishan Hazrat-i-Kaisar-i-Hind Raja BALBIR SINGH Brar Bans
Bahadur (qv)
· UNKNOWN, married and had issue.
· HH Farzand-i-Sadaat
Nishan Hazrat-i-Kaisar-i-Hind Maharaja BRIJINDAR SINGH Brar Bans Bahadur (qv)
· Daughter, married HH Shri Maharajah Sir Vrijendra Sawai Kishan Singh
Bahadur Jang, 12th Maharajah of Bharatpur.
10. HH Farzand-i-Sadaat Nishan
Hazrat-i-Kaisar-i-Hind Raja BALBIR SINGH Brar Bans Bahadur 1898/1906, born 1870,
died 1906.
11. HH Farzand-i-Sadaat Nishan Hazrat-i-Kaisar-i-Hind Maharaja
BRIJINDAR SINGH Brar Bans Bahadur 1906/1918, born 1896, Maharaja [cr.1918], married
and had issue. He died December 1918.
· Lt. HH Farzand-i-Sadaat Nishan
Hazrat-i-Kaisar-i-Hind Maharaja Sir HARINDAR SINGH Brar Bans Bahadur (qv)
·
Kanwar Manjitindar Singh, married and had issue.
· Elder son, married
and has issue, 2 sons.
· Younger son, died vp.
12. Lt. HH Farzand-i-Sadaat
Nishan Hazrat-i-Kaisar-i-Hind Maharaja Sir HARINDAR SINGH Brar Bans Bahadur 1918/1989
, K.C.S.I., born 29th January 1915, educated at Aitchison Chiefs' College, Lahore;
Honorary Colonel Sikh LI, Colonel Bengal Engineer Group, MLA Pepsu LA, Member
of National Defence Council of India, Member of the Standing Committee of Chamber
of Princes, past Grand Master (Hon.) 1974, OSM 1971 Grand Lodge of India, District
Grand Master for North India 1977, United Grand Lodge of England, married 1933
and had issue. He died 16th October 1989.
· Tika Harmohindar Singh
Brar, died vp 1981.
· HH Farzand-i-Sadaat Nishan Hazrat-i-Kaisar-i-Hind
Maharaja MOHINDAR SINGH Brar Bans Bahadur (qv)
13. HH Farzand-i-Sadaat Nishan
Hazrat-i-Kaisar-i-Hind Maharaja MOHINDAR SINGH Brar Bans Bahadur
Taken with courtesy from 'Princely States'
