The southern part of the state was forested and mountainous and was inhabited mainly by Khonds.

[2] According to traditions, Nayagarh state was alleged to have been founded by a scion from the Rewa State before 15th century, but lack of written archival historical records marks them as untenable due to the non-alignment of timelines of both Nayagarh and its collateral Khandpara state with that of the corresponding Rewa state which was founded in 1618 succeeding from Bandhavgarh kingdom, which possibly points to its legendary origins due to the historical obscurity.

[3] None of the chiefs of Nayagarh appear to have received farmans from either Mughals or Marathas until the Bhonsle Maharaja of Nagpur Raghoji I Bhonsle gifted the chiefs for his assistance during the Maratha conquest of Orissa.

[5] The last ruler signed the instrument of accession to the Indian Union on 1 January 1948, merging his state into Odisha forming a part of the Nayagarh district.

The emblem of the royal families of both Nayagarh and the neighbouring Khandpara State was the head of a tiger.