Guna Caves

Not to be confused with Devil's Kitchen (cave) or Devil's Kitchen Sinkhole.
Guna Caves
Devil's Kitchen
Map showing the location of Guna Caves
Map showing the location of Guna Caves
LocationKodaikanal, Tamil Nadu
Coordinates10°12′38″N 77°27′41″E / 10.2105°N 77.4614°E / 10.2105; 77.4614
Elevation2,230 metres[1]
Discovery1821 by B. S. Ward, a British officer
Accessrestricted

Guna Caves, initially named as Devil's Kitchen, is a cave located in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, India.[2] It attracts many visitors every year.[3] The location got the name Guna Caves after it was featured in the 1991 film Gunaa starring Kamal Haasan. Since the release of the film, the location has attracted a large number of visitors and tourists.[4] Subsequently, other movies were also shot there, including the climax of the Malayalam film Shikkar (2010),[5][6] and another Malayalam film Manjummel Boys (2024), which was based on a real accident in the cave.[2]

The caves are notorious for its dangerous history as many people who entered to explore them have disappeared without a trace. As of 2016, police have recorded 16 disappearances in connection with the cave without bodies being retrieved. To date, only one person has ever escaped from the depths of the Guna caves, which serves as the central narrative for the 2024 Malayalam film Manjummel Boys.[7]

  1. ^ Kumar, D. Suresh (5 March 2024). "Real Manjummel Boys hero in 2006: I could not think of going back without my childhood friend". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 5 March 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b "'Manjummel Boys' : Everything to know about The Guna Caves aka 'The Devil's Kitchen'". The Times of India. 2024-02-09. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 2024-02-24. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  3. ^ "All About Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu's Scenic Hill Station". Outlook Traveller. 2023-09-04. Archived from the original on 2024-02-24. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  4. ^ "Loved Malayalam Movie 'Manjummel Boys'? Here Is A Real-Life Guna Caves Rescue Story For You". IndiaTimes. 2024-03-06. Archived from the original on 2024-03-09. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
  5. ^ TOI Entertainment Desk (29 February 2024). "When Mohanlal referred to Guna caves as 'Nature's mortuary'". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 29 February 2024. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  6. ^ "ഗുണ കേവിലിറങ്ങാൻ മോഹൻലാലും അനന്യയുമെടുത്ത റിസ്ക്: അനുഭവം പറഞ്ഞ് എം. പത്മകുമാർ". www.manoramaonline.com (in Malayalam). Archived from the original on 2024-03-02. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
  7. ^ Vannan, Gokul (2016-09-11). "Guna cave' in Kodai to be opened after 10 years". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2024-02-23. Retrieved 2024-02-24.