The correct option is Kharavela.
Explanation
The Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves represent a significant phase of rock-cut architecture in Eastern India, specifically developed during the post-Mauryan period. Unlike the Buddhist-dominated rock-cut caves of the Deccan, these caves were primarily excavated for Jain monks.
Detailed Analysis
- Patronage of Kharavela: The caves are situated near Bhubaneswar, Odisha, and were excavated during the reign of King Kharavela of the Mahameghavahana dynasty (also known as the Chedi dynasty) in the 1st century BCE. The famous Hathigumpha Inscription (Elephant Cave Inscription), inscribed in the Brahmi script and Prakrit language, is found in the Udayagiri caves and serves as the primary source of information regarding Kharavela's military conquests and patronage of Jainism.
- Comparison with Other Options:
- Satavahanas: They were major patrons of rock-cut architecture in the Western Deccan (e.g., Karle, Nasik, Bhaja) but were not associated with the caves in Odisha.
- Vakatakas: They ruled in Central India and the Deccan and are famously associated with the patronage of the later phases of the Ajanta caves (Buddhist).
- Guptas: The Gupta dynasty is associated with the Udayagiri Caves in Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, which are dedicated to Hindu deities (notably the Varaha avatar of Vishnu), distinct from the Jain caves of Udayagiri in Odisha.
Key Takeaway: It is crucial to distinguish between the Udayagiri Caves in Odisha (Jain, patronized by King Kharavela, Post-Mauryan) and the Udayagiri Caves in Madhya Pradesh (Hindu, patronized by the Guptas, specifically Chandragupta II).