of Tirumala. These statues are still visible at the temple at the exit. He also contributed in building parts of the Srisailam temple complex where he had rows of mandapas built. Krishna Deva Raya himself was formally initiated into the Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya. He wrote a Telugu work on Andal, a Tamil Sri Vaishnava female saint, called the Amuktamalyada. Venkata Tathacharya of the Sri Vaishnava sect was Krishna Deva Raya's Rajguru, and he was considered influential. The Madhwa text Vyasayogicarita claims that the Madhwa seer Vyasatirtha was the Kulguru of Krishna Deva Raya. However, given the lack of supporting epigraphical evidence, this claim has been argued as "hyperbolic." See also Vijayanagara Sri Krishnadevaraya University Sri Krishnadevaraya University History of Tirumala Venkateswara Temple References Sources Smith, Vincent, Oxford History of India, Fourth Edition, pgs. 306–307, and 312–313. Dr. Suryanath U. Kamat, Concise history of Karnataka, 2001, MCC, Bangalore (Reprinted 2002). Prof K.A. Nilakanta Sastri, History of South India, From Prehistoric times to fall of Vijayanagar, 1955, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002) External links The Golden Era of Telugu Literature from the Vepachedu Educational Foundation Krishnadevaraya's complex at Tirupati Statues of Krishnadevaraya and his wives at Tirupati. Gold coins issued during Krishnadevaraya's reign A Forgotten Empire (Vijayanagar): a contribution to the history of India (Translation of the Chronica dos reis de Bisnaga'' written by Domingos Paes and Fernão Nunes about 1520 and 1535, respectively, with a historical introduction by Robert Sewell) Indian monarchs People of the Vijayanagara Empire People from Karnataka History of Karnataka 1529 deaths Indian Hindus Hindu monarchs Culture of Andhra Pradesh 16th-century Indian monarchs Indian military leaders Vijayanagara poets 1471 births