Chandannagar, formerly known as Chandernagore or Chandernagar, is a city in India. It lies 20 miles north of Kolkata (Calcutta) in Hughli District of the state of West Bengal.
Chandarnagore is about 48 Kms from Kolkata by road and about 45Kms by rail. Bandel is about 62 Kms from Kolkata by road and 55kms by by rail. Best to travel by car. But train will provide comfortable and faster journey. The EMU local trains are available throughout the day from Howrah station and cycle rickshaws ply everywhere throghout the day. They know most of the places. We missed many places such as Danish settlement, Sriranmpore, Bansberia Hanseshwari temple and others as we started very late from Kolkata and by not taking the Express highway. we thought we travel by the Grand Trunk road to enjoy and explore the beauty of the Ganges. But that was a great mistake as the G.T. road is full of traffic, highly crowded and the road is extremely bad. It took us 2.30hrs to reach Chandernagore, The Delhi road would have taken only 1.3hrs or express highway about an hour or so. I may be off there very soon, well equipped and well researched. The pages or the trips will be upgraded again.
History
Chandannagar is a small city lying to the north of the Kolkata city, at a distance of about 39 kms. Chandannagar, like Kolkata has its history dominated by the foreign rule. The small township was founded in the year 1673 by the French Power in India. There was a regular governing power change in the region among two great colonial powers, that is the French and the British. Chandannagar was primarily established as a trading post on the banks of River Hooghly. The French during the early years of establishment built about 2000 brick houses and trade reached high ends during those days (1730's to 1750's). There were regular regime changes till 1950 when the town was liberated and incorporated as a territorial part of India.