Varadachariar, J.

1. This is an appeal by the Madras Hindu Religious Endowments Board against a decree setting aside a scheme framed by the Hoard for the administration of an institution known as "Sri Virlu Alaya" in Karampudi village, within the jurisdiction of the Guruzala District Munsifs Court. The Board framed a scheme on the footing that the institution was a "temple" within the meaning of the Madras Hindu Religious Endowments Act. The plaintiff, who sometimes called himself the Dharmakartha of the institution, instituted the suit for a declaration that the institution, was not a temple within the meaning of the Act and that therefore the Board had no jurisdiction to frame a scheme in respect of its administration. The learned District Judge held that the worship carried on in the place was merely hero-worship and not religious worship and that the institution, was not therefore a "temple" within the meaning of the Act. Hence this appeal.

2. Though the parties have differed as to the significance of certain events described in the course of the evidence and as to the description of certain parts of the structure of the building wherein the objects of the worship are loc