JUDGMENT

P.Krishna Kumar, J.

The wife filed a petition for recovery of 65 sovereigns of gold ornaments and money from the husband and his relatives, together with a claim for past and future maintenance to the wife and son. By the judgment impugned in this appeal, the Family Court allowed the wife to recover 34 sovereigns of gold ornaments and maintenance.

2. For convenience, the parties will be referred to as they were arrayed in the Original Petition. The marriage between the first petitioner and the first respondent was solemnized on 24.03.1997. As the parties had been in love for some time, the first petitioner eloped with the first respondent and they conducted a simple marriage at a temple. Since the ceremony lacked the usual formalities and celebrations, the first respondent later arranged a reception at Kollam on 30.09.1999, after which the first petitioner was taken to the matrimonial home. After