[14][13] Some sources mention that they were a Tamil-speaking community from Kanchi which moved to present-day Karnataka in the early 15th century to serve in Vijayanagara armies.

[15] Kempe Gowda, who is reputed to have shown leadership skills during his childhood,[citation needed] was educated for nine years at a gurukula in Aivarukandapura (or Aigondapura), a village near Hesaraghatta.

[16] In 1526, Kempe Gowda conquered the Sivagange principality (not to be confused with Sivaganga in Tamil Nadu), 48 kilometres (30 mi) from Bangalore on the Bangalore-Pune Highway.

Fearing Kempe Gowda's rise in power at Penukonda, Jagadevaraya, a neighbouring poleygar at Channapattana, lodged a complaint Emperor Sadashiva Raya.

[17] Over the following years, however, pleased with his activities, the Emperor would bestow Kempe Gowda the nearby villages of Ulsoor, Begur, Varthur, Jigani, Thalagattapura, Kumbalgodu, Kengeri, and Banavara.

Streets of Doddapete, Chikkapete, Nagartha-pete were for marketing of general merchandise; Aralepete (Cotton pet), Tharagupete, Akki pete, Ragipete, Balepete etc.

Temples of Vinayaka and Anjaneya were built at the Northern Yelahanka Gate of the fort (near the present head office of State Bank of Mysore).

The construction of the mud fort and several temples and lakes transformed Bangalore from a sleepy village to a centre of culture based on vedic traditions.

Inside the fort, a big pond enclosed by masonry of dressed granite stones was dug and built (on the South-Western corner of the present Sri Krishnarajendra Market).

Irrigational facilities gave much impetus to agriculture and horticulture and also encouraged laying of gardens and raising groves of fruit crops.

The 16th century Kannada epitaph on his tomb proclaims that he died on the spot at Kempapura, a village in Magadi, while returning from Kunigal, reportedly after settling a dispute.

Kempe Gowda's tomb was accidentally found on 7 March 2015 by Prashanth Marur, a college official-turned-historian, while he was driving by Kempapura.

Some other family members were pensioned by Dewan Purnaiah by gifting them jagirs, or land grants, at Hosur in present-day Tamil Nadu, where the lineage continues as farmers.

In spite belonging to a purely Kannada speaking community,[14][13] He was a polyglot and authored Gangagaurivilasa, a yakshagana play, in Telugu.