, ▁was ▁founded ▁by ▁Ach al an anda ▁Vit th ala ▁( c . ▁ 8 8 8 ). ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁distinct ▁branch ▁within ▁Va ish nav ism , ▁centered ▁on ▁Vit th ala ▁( the ▁Har idas a – K ann ada ▁name ▁for ▁V ith oba ). ▁Where ▁V ark ari ▁are ▁normally ▁associated ▁with ▁Mah ar as ht ra , ▁Har idas a ▁are ▁normally ▁associated ▁with ▁K arn ata ka . ▁The ▁scholar ▁Sh arma ▁cons iders ▁V ith oba ▁worship ▁first ▁emer ged ▁in ▁K arn ata ka , ▁only ▁later ▁moving ▁to ▁Mah ar as ht ra . ▁He ▁arg ues ▁this ▁on ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁the ▁reference ▁by ▁D ny an esh war , ▁mentioned ▁in ▁section ▁" V ark ari ▁sect " ▁above . ▁L ut g endorf ▁cred its ▁the ▁movement ▁to ▁V y as at irth a ▁( 1 4 7 8 – 1 5 3 9 ), ▁the ▁royal ▁g uru ▁( raj g uru ) ▁to ▁king ▁Kr ish na de var aya ▁of ▁the ▁V ij ay an ag ara ▁emp ire . ▁Vit th ala ▁enjoyed ▁royal ▁patron age ▁in ▁this ▁era . ▁Kr ish na de var aya ▁is ▁also ▁cred ited ▁with ▁building ▁Vit th ala ' s ▁temple ▁at ▁the ▁then ▁capital ▁city ▁V ij ay an ag ara ▁( mod ern ▁H amp i ). ▁ ▁Har idas as ▁consider ▁the ▁temple ▁of ▁P and h arp ur ▁to ▁be ▁sacred , ▁as ▁well