The most common knowledge about Puducherry (or as its still referred by its former name, Pondicherry) among every Indian is that it being a beautiful former French colony on the shores of Coromandel Coast. And that the Union Territory is distributed into four cities - all in different states; Puducherry (surrounded by Villuppuram and Cuddalore districts, Tamil Nadu), Yanam (an enclave inside East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh), Karaikal (carved out of Nagapattinam district, Tamil Nadu again) and Mahé (an enclave inside Kannur district, Kerala). But the history of Puducherry isn't just restricted to this period. In fact, even the French period has much deeper tales that shall be briefly discussed on this post.
Early history
The earliest known political history of Puducherry dates back to the 4th century AD, during the time of the Pallava dynasty centered at Kanchipuram. The Tamil region was divided into two territories - Aruvanadu and Aruvavadatalainadu. The former's capital was at Malanga (today's Mavilangai, Perambalur district of Tamil Nadu) and it covered the region between Gadilam river (in Cuddalore, just at the southern tip of Puducherry) and Ponnaiyar river (just at the north of Gadilam) in the south and going towards north to Marakkanam and Tindivanam (both in Villuppuram district). These four villages would mark the boundary of Puducherry, that are still the same geographical locations. The importance of Puducherry as a harbor and port is mentioned in Periplus Maris Erythraci (Periplus of the Erythraean Sea; a 1st century Greek text that described the trade routes from India to Africa and Mediterranean via Erythraean Sea or Arabian Sea). The three important ports that has been mentioned in this text were Camra (Kaveripattinam), Poduca or Puduki (Pondicherry or Puducherry) and Sopatma (Marakkanam). So yes, the ancient name by which the Greeks knew Puducherry was Poduca.
Medieval history and the incoming of the French
The Pallavas were followed by the Cholas in Puducherry in the 9th century AD when the region was now known as Tanjaikottam or Tanji-kotta Parakesari, since the Cholas operated here from Tanjore or Thanjavur. The medieval kingdoms then proceeded with the Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas and the majestic Vijayanagara Empire and by the 14th century, Puducherry was now in a territory known as Tiruvadigairajyam. The prominence of Puducherry alone was overshadowed by the neighboring major towns such as Arcot and Thanjavur. For most part of the medieval and early modern age, the history of Puducherry was almost the same as that of Arcot, the neighboring town (and a powerful one as well). The area, now known as Tondaimandalam, would be facing an Islamic raid for the first time in the 15th century. The politics shifted when Puducherry was now brought under Gingee principality, that was briefly renamed as Badshabad by the Bijapur Sultanate. We are now talking about the 17th century when the first time an European settlement established on the shores of Puducherry - the French.
The French chapter
And from here, Puducherry took a front seat For centuries the settlement had been overshadowed by medieval Hindu kingdoms, it would now be a brooding ground of one of the earliest battles between two powers that were not Indian - the French and the British. But even before the French, the Portuguese were the first to establish a factory somewhere between 1521 to 1524. Known as Puducheira, the Portuguese were driven out after a clash between the Nayak of Gingee, Muthukrishnappa (1595 to 1625) and the Portuguese. Thereafter in 1616, the Portuguese had even invited the Danes to re-establish a factory but it was 1617 when the French ship chartered under the Company of St. Malo, headed by Jean Pepin landed at the town. As soon as he got the permission to trade by the Nayak of Gingee, Pepin had to return back to France since the Thirty Years' War had just begun.
Soon after the departure of Jean Pepin, the Dutch agent Simon Joosten established a godown and left in 1620. Poelitsjeri, Polesere, Puducheira, Poudicheri, Pollochire, Poulecere - known by various names, it would now host the Dutch till 1670. At this point, the French were gaining trading permits by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb to open factories at Surat (1666), Masulipatam (Machilipatnam, 1669), Tellicherry (Thalassery, 1670) and Rajapur (in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra; 1670). It was Sher Khan Lodi, the Bijapur Commandant of Valikondapuram (near Perambalur, Tiruchchirapalli district) who invited the French to open a trade center at Poudicheri. This was to give competition to the neighboring Dutch factory at Porto Novo (Parangippettai) and Cuddalore. At this time, the political condition of Coromandel was now juggling among European factories and the continuous victories of Bijapur Sultanate. Vijayanagara emperor Sri Ranga III was losing battles and independent principalities such as Madurai and Thanjavur had now emerged. And amidst this chaos arrived the to-be first Governor General of Poudicheri, François Martin. Interestingly, another key historical figure who almost got involved in this political mayhem was the founder of the Maratha Empire - Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
It was a war between the Marathas and Bijapur on 15th July 1677 that lead to the annexation of Puducherry (and adjoining areas) to the Marathas (under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj) and also granted land extension for trade to the French. At this time, Puducherry was 'nothing more than a large enclosure by the sea-shore where there were two bastions with eight pieces of cannon'. The fort established here by the French was called as Fort Barlong. By 1703, the now Nawab of Carnatic traded villages of Ozhukarai, Murungappakkam, Olandai, Pakkamudiyanpet and Karuvadikkuppam - all neighboring villages of Puducherry - to the French. While Surat was a declining French post in the west, Puducherry would slowly emerge as a major stronghold in the east. But it also experienced political turmoil when hundreds of people took refuge in the city facing a famine caused by the wrath of Mughal-Maratha conflicts at, Gingee (1690) and Kanchipuram (1696).
Territorial expansion
Territorial expansion of the French on the Indian coast would start in early 18th century. A lodge at Calicut (1721), the Malabar town of Mayyazhi or Mahi (or Mahé) the port of Yanaon (or Yanam, 1731), Karaikal or Karikal along with the fortress of Karakalachcheri and 5 villages (1738), Tanur (in Malappuram, Kerala; 1740), Archivak (Abhishekapakkam, in Puducherry; 1740) and Tedouvanattam (Theduvanatham, in Puducherry; 1740). Between 1739 to 1741 the French were also at war with the Nambiars and Vazhunnavars (clans of Malabar). Other territories that were added to the French were Pudutturai, Kovilpattu, Vadamarakadu, Kil Kasakkudi and Talatteruvu, thus expanding the settlement of Puducherry and around.
Puducherry now formed part of the pargana of Villiyanur under the Nawab of Arcot. The 1740s would see French in skirmishes with the Nawab and his subjects and it would be Joseph François Dupleix - the rival of Robert Clive - who would be now the new Governor-General of French India. And at this point of time, the British were already in the game and soon would be conquering the northern territories of Bengal, Allahabad, Oudh and already had their dominance in Carnatic and Madras, in the south. The Austrian War of Succession (1742-1748) and the Seven Years War (1756-1763) now headed towards clashes between these European powers on Indian land - first the fall of Madras (1746) and later, at Pondicherry (1748). The French authority at Madras, though short-lived, but was one of the major blows to the British.
In 1750s, the French acquired furthermore territories of Chengalpattu (Chingleput), Elavanasur (in Kallakurichi), Panruti (in Cuddalore) and Bhuvanagiri (in Cuddalore). Pondicherry was now facing curtains in the Carnatic Wars and French influence in Carnatic was increasing rapidly with acquiring the mentioned villages. Frenchmen such as Lenoir, Benoit Dumas, Commander Marquis de Bussy-Castlenau, Laly Tollendal, Governor Law de Lauriston etc. expanded the politics of Pondicherry although in 1761, the French control over the entire south India was briefly lost to the English. In fact, the French almost went bankrupt and were restricted only to few towns such as Pondicherry, Mahé, Gingee, Thyagar and Karaikal. At this time, the French were also involved with the Sultans of Mysore and the politics of Mahé and Karaikal were heavily influenced by them. The 1760 Battle of Wandiwash (Vandavasi, in Tamil Nadu; fought between the British and the French) had caused enough wrath to the French territories in Deccan. Many French abandoned Pondicherry, volunteered to serve in English armies, took refuge in nearby towns etc. Finally after the Treaty of Paris, 1763, the former French territories were restored back to France. The French lodges at Masulipatam (Machilipatnam), Francepeth (near Machilipatnam) and Calicut (which served as a neutral property) were also given back. There were ordinances proposed to change the capital of French India from Pondicherry to Chandernagore, but was heavily criticized.
The late 1700s - end of Anglo-French clashes
But this was a temporary relief for the French as the period of late 1770s were again a setback to the French. This was the time of the American Revolutionary War and Second Anglo-Mysore War, which straightly affected French outposts in India. The result was massive loss of French factories in Bengal and swinging fate of its posts in the Deccan, once again. By mid-1780s, the lost French posts were regained back and this would be the last time French would be losing anymore territories in India. By early 19th century, the French were restricted to Pondicherry, Mahé, Karaikal (or Karikal), Yanaon (Yanam) and Chandernagore (Chandannagar). Although they were authorized to occupy their lost lodges in Bengal - Cossimbazar (Kasim Bazar), Dacca (Dhaka), Balasore, Patna and Jugdia (in 24 Parganas, West Bengal) - but the previous years wars had devastated and ruined the factories. Hence, the French abandoned their ambitions in Bengal (except Chandernagore).
The 19th century - rise of French architecture
The 19th century saw massive development in Pondicherry and even the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny did little effect in these territories (although there were a few talks of a joint agitation against the French, but compared to what was happening elsewhere, it was negligible). Numerous heritage sites in the city sprawled in the 19th and 20th centuries. Architectural beauties like La Mairie de Pondichéry (Hotel de Ville), La Dupleix, the Romain Rolland Library, the various streets having French names, today's UCO Bank, Cercle de Puducherry, etc. In Karaikal one could find buildings such as Maison du Gouvernement and Our Lady of Angels Church; in Mahé we have Mahé Church and Town Hall and in Yanam the St. Ann's Catholic Church still recalls the long-lost French heritage.
20th century - rise of Pondicherry politics
The 20th century of French India was marginally affected for a while when post-1918 - the phase of First World War - saw a large movement of nationalists and revolutionaries in Pondicherry territories. These were the fighters who had already sown the seeds of freedom from the English suppression in British India and took refuge in French territories because of which a nucleus of anti-French sentiments started building in. The freedom movements in British India had direct impact on French Indians and the first political conference was held in Pondicherry in 1931. Personalities like R. Sellane Nayagar emerged as pioneer of Pondicherry's anti-French politics and a Franco-Hindu Party would hold elections (for the post of Conseil Général) against French parties in late 1920s. Towards the end of the Secon World War in 1945, elections were held throughout French India to elect a member for the National Constituent Assembly in France. Soon, even women were allowed to vote in French India.
A month before India's independence from the British, in July 1947, the French India Socialist Party was formed under Édouard Goubert - a popular and important name in French Indian politics, who would later become the first Chief Minsiter of Pondicherry (between 1963 to 1964). By 15th August 1947, the day when India was free from the British, the independence movement in Pondicherry gained momentum as well. While in the north and east when Punjab and Bengal were torn apart with partition riots, Pondicherry welcomed the last French governor Charles François Marie Baron.
Independence of Pondicherry
The last years of French in India between 1947 to 1954 saw enormous political campaigns and election preparations. There wasn't any brutal or bloody rebellions although a clash at Mahé in 1948 did tensed the situation between the local people and police. On 1st November 1954, all the French occupations in India were de facto handed over to the Indian government (and declaration of Pondicherry as a Union Territory). The de jure transfer of power took place on 16th April 1962.
Here's map of today's Puducherry.
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