Death of Shenbaga Nadar
Automobile dealer
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Shenbaga Nadar was a 70 year old automobile dealer, who dealt Ambassador Cars and Bedford trucks, based out of Madurai along with his partner P.V.P Valasubramania Nadar [1] and the first Chairman/Founder/Director of Tamilnadu Mercantile Bank (formerly Nadar Bank Limited).[2] On May 12, 1955, Shenbaga Nadar slipped and fell into a steep precipice in the infamous area of Guna Caves, just outside its entrance near a spot widely known as the "Pillar Rock". Presumed dead, a reward of 1 crore was announced for the retrieval of his body. On May 13, the very next day, Mr Kuppusamy Naidu, a long time acquaintance of Mr. Nadar, and one other member of a rescue team from Madurai successfully retrieved his body from a depth of 600 feet. Shenbaga Nadar is the only person whose dead body was successfully retrieved from any of the crevices/pits/caverns. [3]
Background
Shenbaga Nadar is said to have vacationed at Kodaikanal yearly during the summer months along with his family and also been a regular visitor to the Guna Caves area in the evenings. On May 12, 1955, he took his two young grandchildren to show around the area of the caves and the hillside in his car. At one point, he parked his car instructing the kids to stay inside the vehicle and proceeded alone to "Pillar Rock"- a famous spot, with the assurance that he would be back in a few minutes. But, by the time dusk had settled in and the sky darkened at 7pm, he had not returned. The worried grandchildren grew anxious and started crying which was heard by the estate workers who were returning home from their day's work. Upon finding the children, and further investigation at Pillar Rock, the workers found foot skid marks(it had rained that day) in the wet mud at a crevice near the Pillar Rock and concluded that Shenbaga Nadar had highly likely fallen into the cavern by accident. His family and partner P.V.P. Subramaniya Nadar were informed and a recovery team was launched from Madurai to retrieve the body.
Search and Recovery
Recovery operations resumed at the daybreak of May 13, first with local recovery experts and also with a crew en route from Madurai. [4] The cave was notorious for its hidden holes which plunged into deep dark bottomless pits. It was infamous for the fact that anybody who fell in or any animal that fell in was never recovered due to the unexplored and dangerous nature of the cavernous passages. Back in 1955, it was not a restricted area as it is in the present day, which lead to people openly exploring and encountering accidents. Local crew from nearby areas attempted the retrieval but the difficult nature of the passages, and lack of oxygen, damp air made it all impossible to get to atleast a vantage point to rest and look around the caves. Vision was limited as burning wood was used as torches. When several attempts failed, an acquaintance of Nadar, Kuppusamy Naidu who had travelled to visit him that day volunteered to descend down the precipice to look for Nadar. It is said that an entire truckload was rope was lowered in to tie and lower Naidu down in the crevice to search. At approximately 600 feet, Nadar's dead body was located face down and the recovery team successfully retrieved his body with the help of another member and a makeshift Stoke's Basket. Kuppusamy Naidu refused the reward in honour of his acquaintanceship with Nadar, but passed away five years after this incident. Following the recovery of Nadar's body, it was taken to Madurai for a funeral and cremation.
Aftermath
Two memorial stones was erected in memory of Shenbaga Nadar describing this incident at the spot where he fell by his son Rajasabai. It still stands to this day as a testament to tell the tale.