CHANDERNAGORE or CHANDARNAGAR, a French settlement in India, with a small adjoining territory, situ ated on the right bank of the river Hugli, 2om. above Calcutta.
Area 3 sq.m. ; pop. (1931) 27,262. Chandernagore has played an important part in the European history of Bengal. It became a permanent French settlement in 1688, but did not rise to any importance till the time of Dupleix, during whose administration the town was transformed and became the focus for a considerable maritime trade. In 1757 Chandernagore was bombarded by an English fleet under Admiral Watson and captured. On peace being established the town was restored to the French in 1763. When hostilities afterwards broke out in 1794, the English again took possession of it and held it till 1816, when it was a second time given up to the French ; it has ever since remained in their posses sion ; it is now little more than a quiet riverside town. The au thorities of Chandernagore are subject to the jurisdiction of the governor-general of Pondicherry, to whom is confided the general government of all the French sessions in India.