The nayakas continued with the building traditions of the Vijayanagara rulers because they were an integral part of the imperial culture created by the rulers. The rulers had drawn on different traditions to create this culture, and the nayakas, who expressed their loyalty to the king by sending tribute and appearing in the royal court with gifts, continued and elaborated on these practices.

The nayakas maintained traditions of fortification and temple building, constructing some of the most spectacular gopurams. Temple visits were treated as important state occasions where the king was accompanied by the nayakas. As many nayakas established independent kingdoms during the seventeenth century, continuing these building traditions helped them assert their authority and maintain continuity with the Vijayanagara legacy.