Guna Caves in Kodaikanal is regaining popularity after 31 years since Kamal Haasan’s Guna film hit the screens, obscuring its original name of ‘Devil’s Kitchen’. The latest survival thriller, Manjummel Boys from Malayalam film is industry is the reason for this sudden craze and attention for Guna Caves. While the film, directed by Chidambaram has become a massive blockbuster at the box office and crossed the magical landmark of 100 Cr at the global box office in just 12 days, the urge to know about the real life incident behind the film has been spiked among the audiences. Let’s get into the real life journey of Manjummel Boys.
Subhash, a fabrication unit worker from Manjummal in Ernakulam district of Kerala, visited Guna Caves on September 3rd, 2006 along with his nine friends. He stumbled into the cave while traversing a crevice. Siju David, his friend, brought him out in a rescue that was both terrifying and excruciating, and he was previously unknown to the world outside the forests.
“A board nearby warns the public against entering the area, but it is in Tamil,” Subhash had recalled in an old interview. In just a few seconds, he had fallen to an estimated depth of 80 feet (24.38 meters) in the cave and shouted for help. It appears that the police, who were contacted by his friends, were unable to provide much aid. The Fire Services and Forest Department personnel arrived later and lowered a rope into the cave. “It was pitch-dark inside and no one knew whether the rope reached him,” said Subhash to the media in an old interview.
Because rescue personnel were uninterested in entering the dangerous caves — at the time, it was reported that at least 10 people had fallen into the ‘Devil’s Kitchen’ over a period of time — Siju David volunteered and rappelled down the cave using a 50-foot-long rope. Later, another rope was tethered to it to make sure he reached Subhash, and he wrapped the rope around his body before the rescue team took them out. Until the real life hero of Manjummel Boys addressed the press conference in Kochi, the rescue act seemed to have been overlooked in Tamil Nadu. Siju David thought that those who had died in the cave could have been saved if only someone had dared to go inside.
He claimed that their ordeal continued despite the daring rescue. The teenagers were accused of entering a restricted area and fined for RS 2,500, which is a considerable amount. According to a media report, the director of a fire safety technology institute in Kerala offered to enroll Siju David in a free course and provide support for his higher studies. The Dindigul Collectors had discussed projects to build fences and safety grills at Guna Caves and other places in the hill station, as reported by the media at the inauguration of the annual flower show at Kodaikanal’s Bryant Park in 2007 and 2009.
