The largest city in the North Indian state of Haryana, Faridabad enjoys a prime location both geographically and politically. Founded in around 1607 AD by Baba Farid, Faridabad was built with the objective of protecting the Grand Trunk Road (now National Highway 2) which passed through the town. Baba Farid built a fort, a tank and a mosque, which are today in ruins.

Faridabad is famous for Henna production. Henna is also called 'Mehendi' in India and is a vegetable dye used in Indian weddings to decorate the hands and legs of the brides. The local cuisine enjoyed is typical North Indian, Mughalai cuisine and the official spoken language in the city is Hindi.

Best time to visit:

The period from October to December constitutes post monsoon season and the cold weather season prevails from January to the beginning of March, followed by the summers. Hence the best time to visit this city would be from October to March.

Top five places to see:

Baba Farid's Tomb – Tomb of an eminent Sufi saint – Baba Farid is a major tourist attraction of Faridabad and a popular pilgrimage site for local Muslims. It is said that Baba Farid was the founder of Faridabad and the city has been named after him.

Suraj Kund – Suraj Kund, a historic site and famous tourist spot of Faridabad, is an artificial ‘Kund’ (reservoir) built against the backdrop of the Aravalli hills. The name Suraj Kund means ‘Sun Lake’ and it aptly fits into this idyllic tourist and picnic spot, set around a rock-embanked lake amidst the ruins of an old Sun temple.

Raja Nahar Singh Palace – Raja Nahar Singh Palace is an 18th Century palatial building that belonged to the brave king Raja Nahar Singh. It is an outstanding specimen of architectural design, located in the heart of the town of Ballabgarh.

Shiva Temple – The Shiva Temple is a famous temple that is definitely worth a visit. Main attraction of the temple is its huge Shiva-lingam, which is 22 feet in height.

Dhauj Lake – A hotspot for adventures, the Dhauj Lake is ideal for camping and trekking. An artificial dam adjoining the lake adds to the scenic beauty of the spot that has a unique sunrise and sunset viewpoint too.