Proper Nouns Lexicon

The Shorapur Nayaks were a regional dynasty of northern Karnataka, also associated with Surapura. Linked with the Bedar or Beda Nayakas, they ruled an inland Deccan principality from the seventeenth century to 1858, in a setting shaped by Bijapur, Hyderabad, the Marathas and British rule.

The term Thanjavur Nayak refers to the Nayak dynasty that ruled Thanjavur, in present-day Tamil Nadu, between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Emerging from the political framework of Vijayanagara, it made the Kaveri delta an important regional centre of power, religion, culture and artistic patronage.

The term Vellore Nayak refers to the Nayak chiefs associated with Vellore, in northern present-day Tamil Nadu, between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Their power was linked to Vellore Fort, local administration and the late phase of the Vijayanagara Empire.

The Nayaks, or Nayakas, were military chiefs, governors or regional rulers of South India, especially significant between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The term is closely linked to the political legacy of the Vijayanagara Empire and to several local dynasties that ruled centres such as Madurai, Thanjavur, Gingee and Vellore.

Nefertari, the great royal wife of Pharaoh Ramses II, is one of the most famous queens of ancient Egypt. Her beauty and influential status granted her a central role in the political and religious life of her time.

Nek Chand Saini (December 15, 1924 - June 12, 2015) was an Indian artist and public works official, best known for creating the Rock Garden in Chandigarh, a sculpture garden made from recycled materials.

Sri Neminath, also known as Neminatha, is the twenty-second Tirthankara of Jainism, born in 922 BCE and died in 812 BCE. He is revered for attaining spiritual enlightenment and for his teachings on non-violence and truth.

The Neolithic was the final major period of prehistory before the appearance of writing in many parts of the world. It is characterised by the development of agriculture, animal domestication and permanent settlements.

Nephthys is an Egyptian goddess associated with funerary rites and the protection of the dead. She is the sister of Isis and Osiris, and the wife of Seth.

The Newars are the indigenous ethnic group of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. They have played a significant role in the development of the region’s architecture, art, trade, and religious traditions since ancient times.