Heard both sides.

2. The unsuccessful first defendant in O.S.No.342 of 2004, on the file of the Principal District Munsif Court, Tuticorin is the appellant herein.

3. The first respondent herein filed the above suit for declaration that she is the legal-heir of Kasi Nadar and Muthulakshmi Ammal and for direction directing the first defendant viz., the appellant herein, to hand over all documents and title deeds in respect of the first schedule property and to hand-over the fixed deposit receipts mentioned in the 2nd schedule property and for directing the defendants 2 to 10, who are tenants in the property to pay the rent to the plaintiff. It is stated by the first respondent in the plaint that she was given in adoption to Kasi Nadar and Muthulakshmi Ammal in the year 1963 by her natural parents Chelliah Nadar and Athilakshmi Ammal. The adoption ceremony was held at Thandapathu in Ponvandu Ayyan Kovil according to religious practice when the first respondent/plaintiff was one-and-half years and her natural parents gave her in adoption and Kasi Nadar and Muthulakshmi Ammal accepted the plaintiff by spraying Manchappal in the presence of the family members and since then, s