A community preservation initiative is set to write a new chapter of the Registry building in Chandannagore

Built in 1875 during the height of French colonial rule in India, the Registry Building stood tall on the historic Strand Road in Chandannagore. Designed in classic French colonial style, the brick-and-lime structure served as the town’s main register office and was India’s first French courthouse. For many years, the building, a pale shadow of its glorious past, has lain neglected and forlorn, despite frequent attention drawn to its dilapidation by heritage and history lovers. But now, much to the joy of the public and residents of Chandannagore, a joint initiative by the Government of France and the state government of West Bengal is kickstarting a large-scale restoration project to revive this heritage building in the coming years.

All about The Registry getting a makeover at Chandannagore

According to the official marker in the building, ‘This double-storeyed building was built in 1875. During French rule in Chandannagore, the building was used as the Registry Office and French Court. Elements of French Colonial architecture are visible in the deep verandah supported by twin columns and a timber louvred screen. The West Bengal Heritage Commission declared it a heritage building in 2017 under the West Bengal Heritage Commission Act 2001.’

A riverside legacy

Chandannagore has not only been the seat of French settlement in Bengal but also an important part of riverside tourism. With the Government of West Bengal putting back the spotlight on River tourism, the resurrection of the Registry building fits in perfectly. Shankar Ghosh, Minister-in- Charge, Tourism, Government of West Bengal, elaborates, “This is a historic moment of friendship between India and France. The renovation and reconstruction initiative is part of a larger plan, which we have named Little Europe on the Ganges, where we are upholding the French heritage of Chandannagore, Serampore’s Danish heritage, Bandel’s Portuguese heritage, and Chuchura’s Dutch heritage along the Ganges riverbank.”

Reconnecting to the roots

Calcutta port cities were once the epicentre of European colonies and the route to the mainland. Thus, along the Ganges one finds different cultures and colonial structures. The Ambassador of France to India, Thierry Mathou, adds, “The Registry Building is a piece of memory. It made us realise that some buildings are not meant to be replaced; they are meant to be understood and brought back to life. This is why the restoration is significant. This building reminds us that the relationship between France and Bengal / India did not begin yesterday. For centuries, Chandannagore was a part of a much larger story of encounters, ideas, language, architecture, food, heritage, culture, and other interests.”

A map of the future

What remains to be noted now is how the Registry Office will be used in the future. Before answering the main question, Aishwarya Tipnis, Architect, reiterates its history: “When I walked in here 15 years ago, I saw a French town with a Bengali heart. This building is strategically located on the Strand and was once part of the majestic Hotel de France / Paris. The building got disconnected from the hotel in the 1960s. Today, the hotel is the sub-divisional court. There was a demolition order for the Registry, and it has been quite a journey from being a condemned building to a listed building in 2017. Heritage in Chandannagore is not just about the buildings. It is about the people who lived then and the people who live now.”

She explains further, “Over the years, we learnt from the people that the last thing they needed was another museum; and what they needed was a cultural space instead. They need a tourist information centre where every tourist who comes to town could get a map. There would be a retail store, a library, a co-working space, a multi-purpose hall, a small café, and some rooms to stay. So, The Registry was developed as ‘the hub’ for the people of Chandannagore. The vision today is to create a centre that welcomes people into the history and lives of people of Chandannagore. The design is about adding a new layer by building on the past, for the future.”

The plans for The Registry were publicly unveiled during the Indo- French Chandannagore Street Festival, a one-of-a-kind event at The Strand, which would now become an annual affair. Dignitaries from the Government of West Bengal and France, including those from the Consulate of France and Alliance Française du Bengale, were present.

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