Objectives:

Objective 1: To understand the historical and spiritual significance of Siddha Bakula.

Objective 2: To recognize key personalities connected with Siddha Bakula.

Objective 3: To explain the important pastimes associated with Siddha Bakula.

Objective 4: To explain the miracle of the hollow tree and its meaning.

Objective 1: To understand the historical and spiritual significance of Siddha Bakula.

Siddha Bakula is a sacred and historic shrine located in Puri, Odisha, India. It is closely associated with Haridasa Thakura and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, making it an important site in Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

Devotees Associated with This Place

Objective 2: To recognize key personalities connected with Siddha Bakula.

Kashi Mishra: Siddha Bakula is located behind Kashi Mishra house.

Srila Haridasa Thakura: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally arranged for Srila Haridasa Thakura to reside at this place. Siddha Bakula is the bhajana kutir of Haridasa Thakura, the place where he chanted 3,00,000 names of Krishna daily.

Rupa Gosvami: He recited Lalitha Madhava and Vidagdha Madhava under this tree before Sri Gauranga and his followers.

Sanatana Gosvami: During his stay lived with Haridasa Thakura here.

Leelas (Past Times)

Objective 3: To explain the important pastimes associated with Siddha Bakula.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu requested Haridasa, “Remain here and chant the Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra. I shall personally come here to meet you daily. Remain here peacefully, and look at the cakra on top of Lord Jagannath’s temple and offer obeisances. As far as your Prasadam, I shall arrange to have that sent here.”

In order to provide shade for Thakur Haridasa, Sri Chaitanya planted a used tooth stick of Lord Jagannath. All of a sudden it grew up and appeared as a great shade tree. Haridasa Thakur left his body here and Lord Chaitanya danced in ecstasy here.

Hollow Tree

Objective 4: To explain the miracle of the hollow tree and its meaning.

In course of time, the King of Orissa ordered his officers to cut down the tree here in order to construct Lord Jagannatha’s Ratha Yatra cart. A huge amount of wood was needed, since the carts were about 13 m high and each year new ones were constructed. They came to cut this tree but Srila Jagannatha Gosvami objected, informing them that the tree had been planted by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu for giving shade to Haridasa Thakura. But they refused and decided to cut this tree the next day. Overnight, the tree became hollow. The trunk remained standing, but its insides were empty. The next morning when the royal officers came they found the tree hollow and returned without cutting it.

The tree was not an ordinary one, having been used as a toothbrush for Lord Jagannatha, and then planted in the ground by Mahaprabhu’s own hand, and acting as shelter for Nama Acharya Srila Haridasa Thakura. The tree had attained perfection, Siddha, and from that day on, was known as the Siddha Bakula by all the local people.

People tie stones to this sacred Kalpa-Taru (wish-fulfilling tree) to manifest their deepest wishes.

Temple Opening Timings

The temple is generally open to visitors from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM daily. However, timings may vary slightly on festivals and special occasions.