I
City (pop., 2001 prelim.: 220,749), seaport, and capital of Pondicherry union territory, southeastern India.
Lying on the Coromandel Coast, it originated as a French trade centre in 1674, when it was purchased from a local ruler. After being held by the Dutch (1693–97), it was taken by the British several times between 1761 and 1803. It was a French possession in 1816–1954. A seaside tourist resort, it contains an international study centre at a Hindu religious retreat, or ashram .
II
Union territory (pop., 2001 prelim.: 973,829), India.
It was formed in 1962 from the four former French colonies of Pondicherry, Karikal, and Yanam, on the eastern seaboard, and Mahe, on the western seaboard. With a total area of 190 sq mi (492 sq km), it is one of the smallest of the union territories, united by little other than Hinduism . The city of Pondicherry is the administrative capital.