The word 'nayaka' denotes leader in Sanskrit. Its feminine form is 'nayaki'. In the name of denigrating EVR, let us not twist the meaning of the word itself.
In those districts of Tamilnadu, bordering AP, 'Vanniars' live in great numbers. They also call themselves 'nayakkars'. Probably their ancestors worked as soldiers and group leaders during the regime of Vijayanagar nayak kings. Their origin is also clouded in history. They liberally use many Telugu words, in their day-to-day life.
The 'nayak' kings ruled only some parts of Tamilnadu like Madurai, Thanjavur, Kanchipuram, Chennai, Tiruvallur and Tirunelveli. But, when they came here, a vast battalion of people engaged in all kinds of trade and profession followed them.
The king who gave away Chennapatnam (Chennai) to the East Indian Company for a few a lakhs of Rupee was Chennappa Nayakkan. Curiously enough, in whole of the Chandragiri palace he lived in, only Tamil inscriptions are found everywhere. If the king was a Telugu, how and why this could happen? (Chandragiri is a small town situated on Tirupathi-Chittoor Road, 14 Kms away from Tirupathi).
Even the Govindaraja Perumal Temple in Tirupathi town and Venkatachalapathy temple on Tirumala bear Tamil inscriptions everywhere, pillars, walls and roof. They stand as a strong testimony to the Chola's temple architecture (Dravidian or 'Nagara' style), implying that these temples were actually built by Chola kings during 9th to 13th centuries.
There are several unanswered questions and even the Telugu scholars I met couldn't offer proper explanation and convincing answers.
Remember, a Sangam Age song describes Thiruvengadam as the northern boundary of Tamilnadu.
When I lived in Andhra Pradesh, many people have openly challenged, teased and tormented me saying that it is only Tamil came from Telugu and not vice versa. They also boasted that Carnatic music was brought to Tamilnadu by Saint Thiagaraja and before him even music and other performing arts were not in existence in Tamilnadu.
To this, I said countering them:
"Look, your Saint Thiagaraja was born in Tiruvarur and lived in Tiruvaiyaru, in the heartland of Tamilnadu, during Maratha's rule. But before him, we had "Paripaadal" eulogising Thirumaal and Silappadhikaram giving vivid description of music and dance, dating back to 2nd to 6th centuries. Before Thiagaraja, Annamayya composed kirtanas in Telugu. But, before 15th century, there exists no proof of a Telugu who actually composed songs in carnatic music or anyother".
(I never denied the existence of Telugu poetry prior to Annamayya, but only disputed the age of music in Telugu world).
"Show me just one small piece of literature in Telugu, that was written prior to
9th century. Even the Telugu poet 'Nannaya' derived his name from Tamil, meaning
good way or path (nannayam)."
Even the teachers and professors of Telugu department could not give proper explanation and issue a denial to me.
When we talk of history, we must get our facts right, though what I write may not be palatable to some. I am pained by the sayings/writings of people like EVR,
who was actually a Kannada Balija, who chose to call Tamil a 'Kaattumirandi Bashai" -
a language of the barbarians. He has continuously targeted the Tamil language and its people, whenever he wanted to. This he has the audacity to do, he himself living on Tamil soil!
Following his footsteps, 'Mu Ka' also calls all Tamils collectively 'senseless, shameless, without self-respect and superstitious'. This he does whenever his party faces defeat in the polls.
Both EVR are Mu Ka are called by their followers as great reformers of the Tamil race. EVR is called Father of Tamils and Mu Ka is called Guardian or Saviour of Tamils. Could there be a worse insult?
sb 
