"Fueling the intrigue and suspense, Justice NS Sanjay Gowda himself took center stage, delivering a groundbreaking order that could forever reshape the traditions and legacies associated with temple priesthood."

Introduction:
In a significant ruling, the Karnataka High Court has established that the line of succession for inheritance of temple priesthood must be traced through the paternal lineage rather than the maternal one. The verdict was delivered by Justice NS Sanjay Gowda in response to a plea filed by two brothers, MS Ravi Dixit and MS Venkatesh Dixit, who sought appointment as priests at the Sri Mahabaleshwaraswamy Temple in KR Puram, Bengaluru.

Content:
The petitioners, represented by advocate Narayana Sharma, challenged the rejection of their claim by the authorities, who stated that the petitioner's previous three generations did not have any documented evidence of serving as priests at the temple. The authority clarified that as the priesthood was only traceable through the maternal side, the petitioners were not entitled to claim hereditary priesthood.

However, the petitioners argued that their father had been appointed as a priest after their maternal grandfather, and thus, they should be entitled to the same position. Additional Government Advocate DS Shivananda contended that since the lineage of the temple's priesthood could be traced back to the petitioners' maternal side, they could not be considered for appointment.

Analyzing the order and hearing both parties, the Court acknowledged that the petitioners were given a fair hearing. The Court then emphasized that to substantiate a claim of hereditary priesthood, it was crucial for the petitioners' ancestors up to their paternal great-grandfather to have held the position of priest at the Sri Mahabaleshwaraswamy Temple.

The Court observed that while the petitioners' father had served as a priest, their grandfather and great-grandfather had not, thereby disqualifying them from claiming hereditary priesthood. Consequently, the Court dismissed the plea put forth by the brothers.

Conclusion:
The Karnataka High Court's recent ruling on tracing the line of succession for temple priesthood through the paternal lineage has established a precedent in matters of inheritance. The decision was made in response to the plea of MS Ravi Dixit and MS Venkatesh Dixit, who were seeking appointment as priests at the Sri Mahabaleshwaraswamy Temple. The Court's ruling reinforces the requirement for multiple generations of ancestors, up to the paternal great-grandfather, to have served as priests to claim hereditary priesthood.