Analysis of information sources in references of the Wikipedia article "செஞ்சி நாயக்கர்கள்" in Tamil language version.
Perhaps in order to extend more centralised control over the major resource regions, between 1500 and 1550, the Tamil country was reorganised into three major principalities, at Tanjavur, Madurai and Gingee (Senji), with Telugu nayakas as viceroys appointed by the emperor.
After the fall of the central power, the Vijayanagar viceroys in the southern regions (Nayaks) assumed independent rule at Gingee, Tanjavur, Vellore and Madurai in Tamil Nadu and at Ikkeri in north - west Karnataka.
One of the Mackenzie manuscripts mentions a Venkatapathi of Venkatampettai, a Kavarai by caste, as ruling over the Gingee (Senji) country about 1478 A.D. and vigorously persecuting the Jains round about.
No. 240 dated in Saka 1490 and No. 262 dated in Saka 1510 in the reign of Venkata I both from the South Arcot district make mention of а Kavarai Nayaka residing at Virapandyanallur by name Vaiyappa Nayakkar ayyan and his son Nalam Krishnappa Nayakkar. In the earlier inscription he is referred to as having presented Virapandyanallur to his maternal uncle's son Kondama Nayaka, who in his turn made a gift of some taxes, etc., accruing there from to the temple of Kariya Perumal at Adichchanallur. The latter record states that Vaiyappa Krishnappa Nayaka gave Tirukkovallur Sirmai as an umbilikkai to his son-in-law Virupparasar. The latter's wife Achyutamman, the daughter of Krishnappa, is stated to have built a shrine of Krishna, the Vaikuntha vasal, and the gopura in the Vishnu temple at Tirukkoyilur, and endowed for the merit of her father a village named Kolliyur for worship to the deity. This Krishnappa was evidently the founder of the Gingee line of chiefs, who tried to assert his independence towards the close of Venkata's reign.
