The story of rydak
Rydak, the brand name tea experts swear by, is one of the last proud torch-bearers of the rich legacy, regal art and life philosophies that defined the tea landscape of India in the 19th and 20th century. Tea lovers ourselves, our teas represent the haven of tea-drinking erudition. Sold in select packets in teasingly small lots, we bring the freshness and fragrance of the parent bush to your tables.
Born ourselves in the tempestuous albeit regal and memorable years of our Independence struggle, in 1898, our mammoth family now combines inclusions of over 3 quarters of the last century, with mergers of the Baradighi, Mangaldai, Central Cachar, Rydak, and other tea companies from 1940 to 1960, to produce what the corporates call conglomerates, and we call family. In the final year of colonial India, in 1948, we joined the ever-expanding neighbourhoods of the Jardine Henderson group of companies, that was passing into the hands of its first Indian masters, and, ever since, have become the greatest pride of their many diverse businesses.
We are a team of the most erudite men of letters, remnants of the tea-tasting days of the Raj, the fresh face of youth that run our estates, the experienced faces that an entire industry banks upon, and the minds that continue to re-invent Rydak in newer avatars.
Our lives at Rydak are a universe in themselves. Home to thousands of people, and the lifeblood of generations that have served us, the tastes, insignias, corporate culture and rich colonial history of Rydak Syndicate are collector’s items in themselves.
Our family of estates-
At the foothills of the Darjeeling Hills and far north in Bengal, our two twin estates, Kartick, and the title estate, Rydak, produce some of the sub-continent’s most heartening cups, having dominated the corporate landscape for years as a mean no. 1 at auctions. A little to the south, Baradighi Estate, the firm’s aesthetic pride, is a breath-taking, lush and memorable expanse of 600 acres, producing some the strongest teas for out pan-India consumers, with gleaming black grains that delight the eyes as much as the heart.
On the banks of the Majuli river in Assam, the Duklingia Tea Estate is host to sheer corporate pride. The industry’s own manna dew, Duklingia’s teas are a kill-for, and its prices teasingly ahead of the rest in its pool, much as its humbling reception by our guests and customers makes it the most gratifying experience for planters. Duklingia, the heart of many tales of war, agriculture, the Raj, the company and tribal life and economy, also hosts perhaps Asia’s richest living experience in its colonial-style bungalows, and is the standing pride of the region due to its unending expanse of over 700 acres, quality, palatial houses, and aromatic teas.
Further south in Assam, Kopati Tea Estate’s teas put traditional teas to shame. A craze in its local area, Kopati’s fine cultural practices in production are much applauded, and make way for some of the most personified cups for our drinkers- with tastes, sights and aromas that last.
Serispore Tea Estate, set in the lazy retreats of the hilly Cachar Valley, is host to a time warp. Here, old methods blend with a natural landscape and lifestyle that modernity left behind- creating a wonderful fusion of teas to delight the fond old lovers of the cup as it used to be, and a perfect retreat for the adventurous, the thoughtful, and the friendly, for Serispore’s natives are like none other- welcoming, warm and sure to be remembered.
With their perfect aura of antiquity, our two estates in Upper Assam, part of our associate company- Dehlakat Tea Estate- are home to the distinct and spacious architecture of the British masters that built their bungalows and systems; and teas are often manually made, selected and carefully prepared to do justice to the fast-being-replaced means of orthodox tea manufacture, like in the good ol’ days…
Dhelakat Tea Estate, far north. close to India’s borders, presents an indescribable view of Arunachal’s hills, and its Orthodox teas’ records speak for themselves. Difficult to find within India, Dhelakat’s teas have fascinated tea connoisseurs abroad for decades, and continue to be some of the most sought-after teas. Our wired, aromatic, assorted feel blends in perfectly with their distant origins- being far removed from mainland, almost inaccessible, and with your moods.
Mohunbaree, a short drive from Dhelakat, boasts an accuracy like few do. A small estate that quickly won hearts with its ambitiously small amounts, sets metrics for team bonhomie for corporates far and wide, and undisputed quality leadership.
In 1970, we launched the still-popular Trishul brand of tea, sold at the liveliest and hotly contested auctions which it soon became a trademark at. In the remotest alleys of Central India and the luxury destinations of North India, the Trishul brand pervades even today, with a range of teas so diverse, accepted and evergreen that its symbol of the Indian signage of Trishul is synonymous to tea itself for many, and sets the standard for others.
Cheered on by our auctioneers, customers and planter peers as audience, in 2018, after years of working uniquely with our business peers, we began our packet tea business, with Rydak Premium Packet becoming a hit in the select cities in West India which it has travelled to, and in its mother town in Calcutta. It now sells in 3 different sizes, and Rydak Gold, our latest ambitious introduction, adds to our unending love affair with the work with do.
In 2019, we forayed into the world of tourism, going live with our much-awaited retreat at Baradighi Tea Esate- Baradighi the Bungalow. Combining the charms of the ancient and the minds of the modern hotelier, the luxurious destination brings to the world the hidden world of tea plantations, tribal life, and of course- Rydak Syndicate.
Over 3,477 hectares of plantation bear a legacy of their own, every cup bearing testimony to its luxurious and serene origins. With modern day manufacture marrying old-timers’ palates, the tea goes through several rounds of tasting before making it to the tables of the world’s most demanding tea drinkers- our customers. Some several thousand workers work to bring to the tea what it boasts of being- your cup that cheers.
But to know what makes our teas the delight they are, one must know the spirit at the company that clings on to its colonial charms, architecture and regal practices and social life, but is nuancedly involved in the building of a brand that reminds us of our humble role in creating self-sufficient, aspirational and proudly patriotic communities on our estates and offices.
Life at Rydak is simple. In the preservation of our cultural practices, courtesies and philosophies of from the old days, Rydak, through many political, corporate and ideological changes, has stood firm in its belief- there’s no work like teamwork. It is in the many layers of corporates and workers that freely, wonderfully and patriotically affiliate to every cup we make, that we find our long-lived, and evergreen, purpose.
How the corporate sees us:
Rydak Syndicate Limited was originally incorporated on the 24th of February, 1898 under the Indian Companies Act as Rydak Tea Syndicate Limited. It was rechristened as Rydak Syndicate Limited on 24th September 1979 having its registered office at 4, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Sarani, Kolkata- 700 001
Rydak Syndicate Limited currently has six tea estates which are located both in Assam and in the West Bengal’s Dooars region.
Rydak Syndicate Limited is a member of the Indian Tea Association, National Tea Research Foundation, Tea Research Association and the Tea Board of India
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