The suit was contested by the 1st defendant on the ground that the plaintiffs had no enforceable legal right to maintenance from the Sthanam estate; that from olden times two kalams, Palachithara and Velliyad of the Sthanam estate had been set apart for the maintenance of the 38 junior members of the Swaroopam that the plaintiffs have to look to those two kalams only for their maintenance "as deposed by him in the former suit" in O.S. No. 46 of 1934; that even after the Privy Council had decided O.S. No. 46 of 1934 declaring him to be absolute owner of the Sthanam properties, he had been paying maintenance out of affection; that though there was no recognised custom binding on him, he had been adopting the generosity of the predecessor Sthanees and paying to the junior members of the Swaroopam Rs. 17,000/ annually and that the plaintiffs had no right to claim income from the Sthanam estate.