JUDGMENT

Rajendra Babu, J.-This appeal by special leave is against the judgment in Letters Patent Appeal No. 206 of 1992 on the file of the High Court of Madras. The question raised in this appeal is as to whether the temples of the Madurai Veerasami and 18 Padi Karupannasami Temple, are private temples of the appellants family or they belong to the second respondent temple Meenakshi Sundereswaran Temple, Madurai or a sub-temple belonging to it as claimed by respondents.

2. The appellants claim that the two shrines of Madurai Veerasami and 18 Padi Karupannasami Temple are situate in a premises bearing Door No. 52, East Chitrai Street, Madurai, that adjoining these temples are two shops in premises bearing Door Nos. 51 and 53; that they are private temples and are in their possession and enjoyment as such; that though they were situate in paramboke lands of the Government, these lands on which the temple situate are recognised as private lands of the appellants in the proceedings of the Collector dated 1.9.1941 and even earlier: that the origin of the temple is lost in antiquity: that as far as they could trace the records their great great grand mother Meenakshi Ayi had com