• Pune Vidhyapeet (Pune University) is renovating/restoring its 144 year
    old, grade 1-heritage, main building. The building, the official
    residence of the then governor was gifted to start the university for a
    princely sum of Rs. 1.

    In the main building, in the utility room next to the main hall is the
    entrance to a 400 feet long underground tunnel. This passage is
    connected to the kitchen and passes under the garden. It has provision
    for natural lighting and ventilation. It served as an emergency exit for
    the governor. This will be opened for visitors after renovation work is
    completed.

    I remember (as a young boy) seeing two 2ft square barred openings in the
    passage connecting two prakarams (2nd and 3rd, near the vishvaksenar
    sannidhi - well). We were told that one leads to Uraiyur and the other
    to Tanjore. Older boys claimed that they had walked a few yards inside,
    but could not proceed because of fear, lack of light and smell. Anyway
    these entrances are now sealed and plastered.

    Of course all historical novels, PS, KM talk about 'nilavarai' and
    surangams. How wonderful it will be if even one of them could be located
    and renovated.

    Sampath
  • There is one such surangam in Tiruvarur temple, covered by a big
    boulder. People used to tell that it connects to somewhere near
    tanjore.But why do people close these? With the technology available
    now, they can first explore these tunnels using some small robots and
    see what they hold. Then they can go in for cleaning them and making
    them available for public to go inside the places and feel how the
    officials,spies and even the kings would have travelled through those
    passages during their heydays.
  • I am sorry, the temple was left out.
    Sampath

    I remember (as a young boy) seeing two 2ft square barred openings in
    the passage connecting two prakarams (2nd and 3rd, near the vishvaksenar
    sannidhi - well), in the Sri Ranganathar temple Srirangam. We were told
    that one leads to Uraiyur and the other to Tanjore. Older boys claimed
    that they had walked a few yards inside, but could not proceed because
    of fear, lack of light and smell. Anyway these entrances are now sealed
    and plastered.
  • Yes, I have seen the opening in the building (some Archaelogy
    building) next to Saraswathi Mahal Library and as usual closed due to
    bugs, etc.,

    >> >
    > Isn't there a Suranga Pathai in Thanjavur Palace? I have seen one
    > small opening somewhere(Don't remember where exactly) in current
    > Thanjavur Palace which they said leads to somewhere in Big temple
    > grounds. Is it true? I think this was closed with wire mesh. Perhaps
    > experts in this group who have visited Thanjavur palace could shed
    > some light.
    >
    > Cheers,
    > Shirley
  • Yes, few years back when i went to Manora near mallipatanam.....there is also surangam which  was closed and somebodyeks there said that thsi surangam leads to tanjore temple and palace.I dont know whether it is true...

    Saathmeeka
  • This reminds me about my native place, Sholavandan near Madurai. There was an entrance (a small gate sort of thing, now it is closed), We heard people saying it's surangam which leads to Meenakshi amman temple (near the theppam) in Madurai ( 25 KMs from here), was used by Pandias during emergency timings. Not sure how far it's true. Happy if someone throws light on this.
    - Palani Kumar

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