VetaPmc978 at 10:58, 2 May 2026

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{{Short description|Cave in Tamil Nadu, India}}
{{distinguish|Devil's Kitchen (cave)|Devil's Kitchen Sinkhole}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox cave
|name=Guna Caves
|alt_name=Devil's Kitchen
|location=Kodaikanal, Dindigul, Tamil Nadu
|discovery=1821 by B. S. Ward, a British officer
|access=restricted
|map=Tamil Nadu
|relief=1
|coords={{coord|10.2105|N|77.4614|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
|photo=File:Guna cave.jpg
}}

'''Guna Caves''', initially named as '''Devil's Kitchen''', is a cave located in [[Kodaikanal]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=2024-02-09 |title='Manjummel Boys' : Everything to know about The Guna Caves aka 'The Devil's Kitchen' |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/everything-to-know-about-the-guna-caves-aka-the-devils-kitchen/articleshow/107549529.cms |access-date=2024-02-24 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257 |archive-date=2024-02-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240224192316/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/everything-to-know-about-the-guna-caves-aka-the-devils-kitchen/articleshow/107549529.cms |url-status=live }}</ref> It attracts many visitors every year.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-09-04 |title=All About Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu's Scenic Hill Station |url=https://www.outlooktraveller.com/destinations/india/all-about-kodaikanal-tamil-nadus-scenic-hill-station |access-date=2024-02-24 |website=Outlook Traveller |language=en |archive-date=2024-02-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240224192715/https://www.outlooktraveller.com/destinations/india/all-about-kodaikanal-tamil-nadus-scenic-hill-station |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2024-03-06|title=Loved Malayalam Movie 'Manjummel Boys'? Here Is A Real-Life Guna Caves Rescue Story For You|url=https://www.indiatimes.com/entertainment/originals/malayalam-movie-manjummel-boys-real-life-guna-caves-rescue-story-629150.html|access-date=2024-03-09|website=IndiaTimes|language=en-IN|archive-date=2024-03-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240309000440/https://www.indiatimes.com/entertainment/originals/malayalam-movie-manjummel-boys-real-life-guna-caves-rescue-story-629150.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Subsequently, other movies were also shot there, including the climax of the Malayalam film ''[[Shikkar]]'' (2010),<ref>{{cite news |author1=TOI Entertainment Desk |title=When Mohanlal referred to Guna caves as 'Nature's mortuary' |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/mohanlals-shikkar-guna-caves-natures-mortuary/articleshow/108101592.cms |access-date=1 March 2024 |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=29 February 2024 |archive-date=29 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229091823/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/mohanlals-shikkar-guna-caves-natures-mortuary/articleshow/108101592.cms |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ഗുണ കേവിലിറങ്ങാൻ മോഹൻലാലും അനന്യയുമെടുത്ത റിസ്ക്: അനുഭവം പറഞ്ഞ് എം. പത്മകുമാർ |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/movies/interview/2024/02/29/mohanalal-ananya-guna-cave-shoot-experience-m-padmakumar-interview.html |access-date=2024-03-02 |website=www.manoramaonline.com |language=ml |archive-date=2024-03-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240302030541/https://www.manoramaonline.com/movies/interview/2024/02/29/mohanalal-ananya-guna-cave-shoot-experience-m-padmakumar-interview.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and another Malayalam film ''[[Manjummel Boys]]'' (2024), which was based on a real accident in the cave.<ref name=":0" />

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]]''.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Vannan |first=Gokul |date=2016-09-11 |title=Guna cave' in Kodai to be opened after 10 years |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/in-other-news/110916/guna-cave-in-kodai-to-be-opened-after-10-years.html |access-date=2024-02-24 |website=[[Deccan Chronicle]] |language=en |archive-date=2024-02-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240223113641/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/in-other-news/110916/guna-cave-in-kodai-to-be-opened-after-10-years.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

== History ==
The caves were allegedly first recorded in 1821 by British officer B.S. Ward, who named it Devil’s Kitchen, but remained in obscurity until the late 1980s.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Devil's Kitchen {{!}} Tamil Nadu |url=https://www.tamilnadutourism.tn.gov.in/destinations/devils-kitchen |access-date=2024-02-24 |website=Tamilnadu Tourism |language=en |archive-date=2024-02-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240224192716/https://www.tamilnadutourism.tn.gov.in/destinations/devils-kitchen |url-status=live }}</ref>
In 1991, the caves and surrounding areas were the prime locations in the [[Kamal Haasan]] film ''[[Gunaa]]'', leading to its name and attracting more tourists.

Since then, multiple people have mysteriously disappeared after entering the caves, with authorities being unable to recover their bodies, including that of the nephew of a [[Union Council of Ministers|central minister]] in 1996. Some of the cases were supposedly suicide, while others were of tourists or locals who went in to explore the cave and fell into dangerous holes inside the caves.

From the early 2000s until 2016, the cave was closed to the public due to increasing numbers of disappearances. However, people ignored the warnings and continued to explore the place. As of police records in 2016, the holes in the cave has caused the death of at least 16 people who attempted to explore the cave.

In 2006, a group of friends from [[Manjummel]], Kochi, [[Kerala]] went to explore the caves as one among them named [[Guna Caves rescue|Subhash fell into a hole]]. Later he was rescued through efforts, mainly by his friend Siju David (Kuttan) and locals with the support of police. This incident is depicted in the 2024 [[Malayalam]] film ''[[Manjummel Boys]]'' which had an even larger impact as the Guna Caves gained more popularity. Even though most of the portions were shot in a film set due to the risk element of shooting at the caves, some of the portions were shot in and around the caves and Kodaikanal.<ref name=":1"/>

As of 2024, the road to the cave was reopened to the public, but the entrance to the cave still remains closed for the safety of the tourists.<ref name=":2" />

==In popular culture==

List of films shot at Guna Caves:
{{static row numbers}}{{Table alignment}}{{row hover highlight}}
{|class="wikitable sortable static-row-numbers static-row-header-text hover-highlight" style="font-size: 100%"
|-
! class="unsortable" | Film
!Year
!Language
|-
| ''[[Gunaa]]''
| 1991
| [[Tamil language|Tamil]]
|-
| ''[[Shikkar]]''
| 2010
|[[Malayalam]]
|-
| ''[[Manjummel Boys]]''
| 2024
| [[Malayalam]]
|-
|}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Roots of trees near Guna cave.jpg|Roots of trees near Guna cave
Guna cave Kodaikanal Harry 6.jpg|Guna cave Kodaikanal
Steps made up of wooden trunks at Guna cave Kodaikanal.jpg|Steps made up of wooden trunks at Guna cave Kodaikanal
GunaCaves,Kodaikanal.JPG|Guna Caves, Kodaikanal
Guna cave, Kodaikanal.jpg|Guna cave, Kodaikanal
Entrance of Guna cave.jpg|Entrance of Guna cave
Guna Cave.jpg|Guna Cave
</gallery>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Guna Cave}}
[[Category:Kodaikanal]]
[[Category:Caves of Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Caves of India]]
[[Category:Caves of Asia]]

Guna Caves - Revision history

VetaPmc978 at 10:58, 2 May 2026