These appeals were heard together, because the points of law that arise in them are substantially similar. They are directed against the judgments and decrees of the learned Subordinate Judge of Pudukottai in O.S. No. 7 of 1960 and O.S. No. 48 of 1959 respectively. The plaintiff is the appellant.

Appeal No. 272 of 1961.-In the suit O.S. No. 7 of 1960 to which this appeal relates the managing trustee of a Siva temple at Nachandupatti in the former Pudu- kottai State is the plaintiff and his prayer is to set aside the order of the respondent, the Commissioner, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, Madras, declaring the suit temple to be a public temple. There is also a prayer in the alternative for declaring the karaikars of seven karats as the hereditary trustees of the suit temple. The contentions of the plaintiff were briefly the following: Certain Nattukottai Chettiar families, 50 in number, who were saivaites by faith, founded the suit temple and brought a Sivalingam from Chidambaram and installed it therein. Subsequently, they renovated the temple at great cost. The temple is the exclusive private temple of these Nattukottai Chettiar families residing in Na