S Jeyaseela Stephen

Pondicherry Under the French S Jeyaseela Stephen

Pondicherry under the French: Illuminating the Urban Landscape, 1674-1793 explores how the town of Pondicherry developed as the epicentre of the French presence in India, becoming a major centre of Company administration. It evaluates the relative significance of inland trade and overseas commerce in generating mercantile wealth by examining the volume and value of commercial transactions and the interactions between the French, Tamils, Telugus, Gujaratis and the Armenians. This resulted in the urbanization of the town, which in turn dramatically and radically changed its skyline. The collective composition of the external agencies, cross-cultural connections and knowledge networks led to new forms of art, architecture and culture with the French attempting to convert the urban reality of Pondicherry into a smart city. As the French presence evolved from a trading company into a colonial state, Pondicherry, called 'The Pearl of French India', became one of the most advanced cities in the world in terms of governance, politics and global linkages.