Dulal Chandra Bhar’s Tal Mishri has been, for nearly a century now, catering to the sweet tongue and well-being of the people of Bengal from all walks of life. But do you know the story behind this Bengali brand? 

The story of Dulal Chandra Bhar is an inspiring tale of a Bengali teenager with dreams and visions who made it big. No salesman, no brand ambassador, it’s a story of how maintaining quality paved the way to success for Dulal Chandra Bhar and his product. In fact, the product has remained the same since its beginning, with a non-descript plastic bottle bearing the name and signage of Dulal Chandra Bhar, and that has been enough to captivate the hearts (and tastes) of the people of Bengal and abroad. 

So, what makes Dulal Chandra Bhar’s tal mishri so famous? And what is the story behind this bald-headed man with a benign smile that we see in the bottles? We’ll dive deep into that in this blog. 

Early Years: The Beginning 

It was during World War II that the Bhars were cloth merchants, and their business was flourishing. They had many shops in Howrah Haat. Dulal was then a young boy in his late teens, and he used to accompany his father and uncles to the shops to help them during the rush hours. But soon, he felt the urge to do something on his own. He began selling white ‘mishri.’ There was a huge demand for ‘mishri,’ and the young Dulal thought of tapping into this potential market. Soon, his business thrived, and he prospered. But the young Dulal Chandra Bhar was too ambitious to sit back. Their family hailed from Rajbalhat in the Hooghly district, and here is where young Dulal looked for inspiration for his new product. And with some searching, he got his product. 

The colossal residence of the Bhar’s sprawled over four bighas, and a lot of palm trees were there within the boundaries. Soon, the young entrepreneur knew what to manufacture – Talmishri. It is a form of naturally prepared candy from date palm syrup. The manufacturing of talmishri or palm candy was restricted to one or two small businesses at that time. Soon, Dulal Chandra Bhar took his production and distribution of talmishri to such a level that he soon became a monopoly in the business. Brand or trademark was not that common at that time, but Dulal earned the trust of the government that time, and he got his registration number. The same number ‘3965’ is still being used in the bottles in loving memory of Dulal Chandra Bhar. 

The first batch of products floated on the market in 1934, and the response was overwhelming. Since then, the almost a century-year-old company has been reigning the market with pride. Even today, talmishri and Dulal Chandra Bhar are synonymous in many areas of Bengal. 

What Makes Dulal Chandra Bhar’s Talmishri so Famous?

According to Dhananjoy Bhar, the son of the late Dulal Chandra Bhar and the successor of the business, the huge demand for their product is the result of using pure date palm jaggery from Tamluk. No sub-standard material is used as a substitute. Quality control lies at the heart of the superior demand of Dulal Chandra Bhar’s talmishri. 

The syrup from the Palmyra palm tree is the main ingredient which is used to create the jaggery. Following that, it is boiled in drums till it reaches a certain temperature. Next, the thickened syrup is poured into containers and left to dry and crystallise. After about a week, the crystals start forming in the top and bottom layers. It is then cut and bottled for use. 

People who consume Dulal Chandra Bhar’s talmishri swear by its usefulness and quality. From reducing the symptoms of cough and cold to acting as a natural sweetener, Dulal Chandra Bhar’s talmishri has become a household name in Bengal and adjoining states. 

The story of Dulal Chandra Bhar as a successful entrepreneur is an example of courage, commitment, and will to make his mark, which he surely did.