The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c32.120

v1.c32.120

12. The whole Empire however was not Vaishnava. Several feudatory chiefs still adhered to their old family sect. One instance is that of the Nayaks of Vellore, who with their families remained faithful to Siva. Lingama Nayaka, the last known member of this dynasty, is said in the Vilapaka grant of Venkata II to 'be engaged in establishing lingas of Siva'; 'his prize', says the same grant, "was the works relating to Siva" ³. Another family very faithful to Siva was that of the Nayaks of Ikeri. Among their titles there are two that refer to their devotion: they are called 'establishers of the pure Vaidika Advaita doctrine' and 'devoted to the faith in Siva and the guru' ⁴. In their zeal they seem to have converted many of the Jains to the Saiva creed ⁵. We know likewise of a grant of 1592 for the services of a matha, issued by Keladi Venkatappa Nayaka, son of Sadasiva Nayaka II and grandson of Sadasiva Raya Nayaka; the grantor is called in the grant 'feudatory of Venkatapatiraya, devoted to Siva and gurus' ⁶. The chiefs of Ullal were likewise devotees of Siva; Pietro della Valle says that the family god of the Queen he met during his travels was Putia Somnata ⁷.