Sir John Wallis, J.

1. In this case the three Plaintiffs, who describe themselves as Hindu Nairs residing within half a mile of the seven plaint temples and as habitual worshippers at the said temples, instituted seven suits, which have been tried together, under Section 92, Code of Civil Procedure, with the consent of the Advocate-General of Madras, against the first Defendant, who is described in the plaint as a Hindu Nair residing in Peringod amsam and desam of the Palghat Taluk, but is admittedly the karnavan or managing member of a Malabar tarwad or joint family. The plaint alleged that the Defendants predecessors, who were originally samudayis or committee members of the aforesaid temples, had been, in such capacity, in management of the affairs of the devaswom; that they had been for some time improperly styling themselves the uralans of the aforesaid devaswom; and that recently the Defendant and the members of his family had further begun to claim that the devaswom and its endowments belonged to the family, thereby repudiating the public character of the trust. After alleging various acts of mismanagement, they prayed for the removal of the Defendant and the appointm