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| Durga Charan Rakshit Ghat located at the middle of the Chandannagar Strand |
Today Chandannagar (চন্দননগর) is almost like any other cities or towns of West Bengal, but it has a long colonial history, which is older than Kolkata.
Locals used to call this place Farashdanga (ফরাসডাঙ্গা, the land of the French). The name of Chandernagore was first found in letters dated 1696 by officials of French East India Company. The origin of name may be from the business of sandalwood/চন্দনকাঠ, or may be from goddess Chandi (Borai Chandi temple) or, due to the location with the river Ganges' moon cresent look (chandni, চাঁদনি ⇨ চাঁদেরনগর ⇨ চন্দননগর).
Created out of three villages, Borokishanganj (or simply Boro/ বোরো), Khalisani (খলিসানি) and Gondalpara (গোন্দলপাড়া) Chandernagore was emerged as the main centre of European commerce in Bengal and became a key trade centre. The foundation of Chandannagar was done by Du Plessis in 1673-74, when he bought land in Borokishanganj (and Job Charnock would be to establish Calcutta in 1690).