P. S. NARAYANA, J.

( 1 ) THIS batch of Civil Miscellaneous appeals and Civil Revision Petitions arise out of the different interlocutory orders passed in O. S. No. 34 of 2000 on the file of the III Additional District Judge, Tirupathi. Since both the parties have filed the Civil miscellaneous Appeals and Civil Revision pettions, the parties hereinafter will be referred to in their position as arrayed in o. S. No. 34 of 2000 on the file of the iii Aditional District Judge, Tirupathi.

( 2 ) AT the outset, we may observe that the dispute relates to the office of Matadhipathi of Sri Kashimath Samsthan. It is really unfortunate that the spiritual and religious preachers, who are expected to be pious and devotional, are involving in litigations of this nature. Math in fact has been the most important institution relating to Hindu religious system. The word "mata" is defined as hut of an ascetic or student, a monastic school or college and Matadhipathi is defined as the head of such institution. In Sammantha Pandara v. Sellapa Chetty (2 Madras 175), it was observed " a preceptor of religious doctrine gathers around him a number of disciples whom he initiates into the particular mysteries

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