Judgement

Appeal (No. 64 of 1939) from a judgment and decree of the High Court (January 3, 1936), which modified a judgment and decree of the Court of the First Additional Subordinate Judge of Benares (June 25, 1930).

By the suit out of which this appeal arose the appellant, Maharani Hemanta Kumari Debi, sought to establish her proprietary right to the Pryag Ghat on the river Ganges, at Benares, to which Hindu pilgrims resorted for bathing and for the performance of religious ceremonies. She also sought to eject from the ghat the respondents, fourteen persons, who were ghatias engaged in assisting the pilgrims in

Law. Rep. 68 Ind. App. 53 ( 1940- 1941) Maharani Hemanta Kumari Debi V. Gauri Shankar Tewari

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the performance of their religious rites. The respondents disputed the appellants claim to proprietorship and her right to eject them. Pending this appeal the appellant, who was the widow of the last male owner of the Puthiya Raj estate, had accelerated by relinquishment the interest of her husbands reversioners, and they were joined as appellants.

The facts appear from the judgment of the Judicial Committee.

The Subordinate Judge held that the ghat had been dedicated to the pu