Guna cave' in Kodai to be opened after 10 years

KODAIKANAL: The Dindigul division forest department has been taking steps to allow tourists to have a clearer view of the famed ‘Guna cave’ in Kodaikanal. The cave, named after the popular Kamal Hasan-starrer Guna in 1991, had been a major attraction for tourists to the Kodaikanal hills. However, it was closed to the public for the last 10 years due to the increase in the number of suicides by love-couples. The forest department had fenced off the path from the main road to prevent people from visiting it.

“Nowadays, the place remains only in people’s memory. We see car drivers telling tourists about the cave at the main road,” said Ravikumar from Kodaikanal. As many tourists have been requesting various agencies in government to allow them to visit the cave, senior forest officials reviewed safety aspects in the area recently before they decided to allow people to have a better view of the cave.

“We are removing the fences which restricted peoples’ movements to 20 meters away from the road to facilitate them to view the caves,” said a senior forest officer. Officials are also setting up stone benches and drinking water facilities in the area.

Forest officials will erect a new fence to prevent people from entering the danger zone or into the cave. “As there is no lighting in some area, people could slip into a deep valley. Till date, we have not traced 16 bodies of people who went missing in the cave,” the source added. Officials clarified that they will not allow tourists to enter the caves. The cave was previously called ‘Devil’s Kitchen’ and is located 12 km from Kodaikanal.