puducherry, which used to be called pondicherry is a union territory of india. pondicherry is divided into four separate parts: puducherry district, karaikal district, yanam district , and mahe district. these four areas are under one name because they were all once ruled by the french. chandranagore, the fifth former french colony 30 kilometers north of kolkata, in west bengal, india, is now outside this unconnected territory.