Krishnaswami Ayyangar, J.

1. This appeal arises out of a suit instituted by the appellant Manathunainatha Desikar for an injunction against the respondents restraining them from interfering with his possession of the suit properties jointly along with the respondents. He also prayed that he might be put in joint possession of the suit properties; if that course was found necessary. The properties in respect of which these reliefs were asked admittedly belong to a Siva temple situate in Jaffna in Ceylon founded by Vaithilinga, an ancestor of the parties in or about the year 1790. It would seem that this temple dedicated to Sri Viswalinga Vaitheeswaraswami owns extensive properties in Jaffna besides the properties in suit which are situate in the village of Meppalam in Mannargudi Taluk, Tanjore District. Before the year 1900 these lands were the property of one Thangathachi who held apparently a widows estate. But in that year there was an agreement entered into between her on the one hand and Subbayya, the then trustee of the temple, on the other, by which it was arranged that the Meppalam lands should be made over to the temple in exchange for the temple lands in another vil