RANGACHARYA Vs. GURU REVTI RAMAN ACHARYA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This is a special appeal in Suit No. 111 of 1923 instituted by Guru Reoti Raman Acharya against Jaistha Madhav Acharya and seven others, and relates to the temple of Thakur Gat Shram Narainji Maharaj, situate in Muhallah Gat Shram Tila, in the city of Muttra.

(2.) The temple is said to have been founded by the great scholar and theologian Pandit Prannath Shastri in the early part of the 19 century. The history of the endowment is not preserved in any written record. The administration of the temple property was for a long time in the hands of Raja Pitambar Singh of Avagarh. On 26 March 1850 dispute having arisen amongst the heirs of the founder, the matter was referred to arbitration. An award was made on 26th March 1850 which directed that half the income of the temple property should be spent towards the expenses of the worship of the idol, the payment of the salary of the servants and the maintenance of vaisnava acharis, and that the other half of the income was divisible amongst the heirs of the founder. The terms of the award were substantially confirmed by a later agreement amongst the heirs, dated 2 November, 1874, whereby the secular interest of the heirs in half of the income was differentiated from the rights of the presiding deity in the remaining moiety of the income.

(3.) It has been settled by judicial decisions that the property appertaining to this temple is endowed property, held for the benefit of Thakur Sri Gat Shram Narainji and that the temple and its properties are managed by a number of sebaits who are the descendants of the founder.