N. SESHASAYEE, J.

1. Peace is omnipresent, yet it remains the most sought after. Merciful it is, to he who respects it; and sternly uncharitable to one who risks valuing it less. Its rules are straight and even, as it distinguishes not between the royalty and the laity. Paradoxically, the quest for peace invariably breeds conflicts among its seekers which a litigation typifies in a civil society. The Nagoor Durgah, a wakf, that manages the durgah of a 15th century Islamic saint Hazrath Syed Shahul Hammed Quadir Ali (being revered as Nagoor Andavar) and other Thakias and shrines finds itself in a centrifuge of litigations, and seemingly tests its bond with peace. Let peace be upon the Wakf.

2. The litigations here may be classified into two major folds. Before entering its arena, a preludial note on the durgah, may be of benefit:

Saint Hazrath Syed Shahul Hammed Quadir Ali, believed to be one of the descendants of Mohammed the Prophet, was an Islamic saint of the 15th century. He hailed from what we now know as Uttar Pradesh. He trained himself deeply in Islamic teachings