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UHi everyone, I need some guidance regarding a long-standing issue with a trust-owned property in Surat, Gujarat.
My maternal family has been living in and taking care of a temple property (owned by a trust) for nearly 100 years. The arrangement originally started when the trustees allowed my great-grandfather to stay there and perform seva (temple service). Over generations, my family continued both residing there and maintaining the temple.
Property structure:
– Large building (approx. 1920s construction)
– Temple on lower left
– Priest residence on upper left
– Two halls on right side (upper & lower)
Background:
– My great-grandfather, then my nana (grandfather), nani, and later my mama continued seva.
– My nana passed away in 2008. After that, trustees started taking more control and there were intimidation attempts.
– Around 2014, trustees cut off electricity and water to force us out. We filed an FIR and a legal case for protection from eviction. Utilities were restored.
– The case ran roughly until 2020, but trustees rarely appeared in court.
– In 2020, my priest grandfather passed away; seva continued through my mama.
Important developments:
– In 2023, due to circumstances, we temporarily vacated the house but:
– We did NOT sign any surrender/possession document
– Our belongings remained there
– Seva continued
– Trustees offered ₹7.81 lakh as a settlement (roughly what we had spent on construction), but nothing was finalized.
Current situation (2026):
– We have moved back into the property
– We have refused the settlement offer
– We only want to continue living there and performing seva, not claiming ownership or extra space
– Trustees are repeatedly pressuring us to vacate and accept money
– Our earlier case has gone inactive because we didn’t appear for ~4 years
My questions:
1. Given ~100 years of continuous occupation and seva, do we have any legal standing to continue living there?
2. Does temporary absence (2023–2025) weaken our rights even if we never formally surrendered possession?
3. Can the old case be reopened, and will our absence in court hurt us badly?
4. Are we considered tenants, licensees, or something else under trust/property law?
5. What are realistically our chances of resisting eviction and continuing to stay?
We are not trying to claim ownership or create conflict — just want to continue seva and residence as our family has done for generations.
Any guidance would be really appreciated. Thanks.
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