Mahameghavahana Dynasty (185BC-100BC)
The Mahameghavahana dynasty was an ancient ruling dynasty of Kalinga after the decline of the Maurya Empire.  The dynasty is also known as the Chedi, Cheta or the Chetavansha. The history of the earlier kings of the Cheta dynasty during the reign of Ashoka is not known.

The label Mahameghavahana means the ‘Lord of the Great Clouds’ who uses the clouds as his vehicle. It may mean that the kings were as powerful as Indra. The dynasty also carries another name for it, namely Aira.

During the period of Ashoka, he had appointed a member of the Chedi family to govern the South Kosala region, presently the Chhattisgarh state. After the death of Ashoka, they might have shifted their seat of power from the original Chedirashtra to Kalinga. Decline of Mauryan power encouraged the governors to become independent rulers and establish their own dynasty.

Mahameghavahana (185BC-160BC):

He was the first independent ruler who established the dynasty at Kalinga. He became independent from the weak Mauryan rulers and conquered the entire Kosala region.

Vriddharaja (160BC-145BC):

Second ruler of the dynasty and son of Mahameghavahana. He was mentioned as Chetiraja in the Hathigumpha inscription. His son was a great warrior king in Indian History – Kharavela.

Kharavela (145BC-132BC):

Son of Vriddharaja and Grandson of Mahameghavahana . During his reign South Kosala became an integral part of the kingdom. He patronised Jainism, but did not discriminate against other religions. He was a contemporary of Satakarni of Satavahana dynasty and Pushyamitra of Shunga Dynasty.
He sent an army with cavalry, elephants and chariots to defeat Satakarni I in his initial years. Kharavela subdued the Rashtrika and the Bhojaka kings, who were vassals of Satavahana dynasty. Kharavela challenged a Yavana ruler Menander I, who had killed another king and proceeded till Magadha. The ruler was pushed beyond Mathura.

Hathigumpha Inscription
Kharavela is famous in the history of Kalinga and of India as a mighty monarch. He belonged to the third generation of the Kalinga Chedi dynasty. It was under him that Kalinga became a great power, with extensive territories as an empire. The life and achievements of Kharavela are vividly known from his famous Hathigumpha Inscription. Kharavela was crowned king of Kalinga at age 24. The Hathigumpha inscription describes the first 13 years of his reign.
According to Hathigumpha inscription, Kharavela repaired gates and buildings that had been damaged by storms, built reservoirs and tanks, and restored the gardens during his first year of accession. He organized musical concerts, entertained the city with festive gatherings which included singing, dancing and instrumental music. Kharavela commissioned water works involving a canal originally built by the Nanda rulers.

Rajasuya Yaga & Expansion
He sent out an expedition to conquer Bharatvarsha during which he performed the Rajasuya Yaga. He cancelled taxes, because he obtained wealth from the kings he attacked.
Kharavela built a settlement of masons and exempted its land revenue because of the wealth brought home of Anga and Magadha. He subdued the Pandya king & his confederacy of Tamil kingdoms which had been threatening Kalinga. He also built an enclosure for elephants, horses with the wealth collected from the Pandya king.

Bhikshuraja
He made the king of Magadha bow at his feet. Brihaspathimitra was a king of Kaushambi, and his rule might have extended to Magadha as well. Kharavela brought back an idol of Agrajina possibly of Rishabhanatha, which had been taken to Magadha during the reign of Mahapadma Nanda.
Kharavela is mentioned as Bhikshuraja, the king of monks, a devotee of all sects, the possessor of an invincible army and an illustrious king. He did some Jain religious ceremonies near the Arhat temple on the Kumari Hill by organizing scholars and ascetics.  He erected pillars of Vaidurya Garbha in Patalaka and Chetaka caves.

Family
Kharavela donated Kalpavriksha, horses, elephants, chariots, houses and other gifts to Brahmins and built a new palace, when his wife Dhusi or Vajiragharavathi gave birth to a son, his successor. His queen was granddaughter of Hasthisiha, mahamatra of mauryan empire and daughter of Lalaka. She had a strong and leadership personality. Vajiragharavathi assisted her husband in state affairs and administered the kingdom during his absence due to battles and wars. Karavela’s second wife was Sindhula, a Jain follower, who encouraged him to donate generously towards Jain deeds. Kharavela's empire is believed to have disintegrated soon after his death.

Vakradeva (132BC-120BC):

He is also knkown as Kudepasiri or Vakadepa. He was Kharavela's son and successor. His inscription is found in Udayagiri, and he had the same titles as Kharavela: Kalinga Adhipati and Mahameghavahana.

Vadukha (120BC-100BC):

He was son of Vakradeva.

Galavya (100BC):

Probably the last ruler of the main dynasty. The Kalinga Kingdom was defeated by the ruler of Satavahana dynasty during his reign. Later in the 2nd Century during the reign of Gautamiputra Satakarni, the kingdom was annexed by Satavahanas.

Architecture
Udayagiri & Khandagiri caves are the most prominent architectural examples of Mahameghavahana Dynasty. Both were built during the reign of Kharavela in 2nd century BC. The Hathigumpha and Ganesha Gumpha inscriptions at Udayagiri provide the historical records of the dynasty. The Rani ka Naur and Anantha Cave are also examples of the dynasty’s marvelous architecture.

After the capture of Kalinga by Satavahanas, the royal family members moved to different parts of the kingdom and established small kingdoms of their own.

Magha or Megha Dynasty of Kosambi or Kosala and Sada dynasty of coastal Andhra claim their ancestry to the Mahameghavahana dynasty and Kharavela.

 

Magha Dynasty (106CE-350CE)

Bimasena (106CE-130CE):

He is also called as Vasishtiputra Bhimasena. His ancestors were probably feudatories of Kanishka of Kushan dynasty and He founded the principality in the jungles near Rewa in Madhya Pradesh. He ruled independently, where Kushan’s power did not penetrate. He was the contemporary of Huvishka, the ruler of Kushans and Gutamiputra Satakarni, the Satavahana king.

Shivamagha (130CE-155CE):

He is also called as Gautamiputra Shivamagha. He extended his kingdom and ruled Kosala with Bandhogarh regions. Historical records of himself and his ancestor can be obtained from the Bandhogarh inscription and coins issued by him.

Praushtasri (155CE-168CE):

He was the eldest son of Shivamagha and called Kaushtiputra Praushthasri. The war of succession between brothers, resulted in his rule over the southern part of the kingdom namely Bandhogarh. His younger brother Kaushtiputra Bhadramagha ruled the Kosala region.

Bhadradeva (168CE-185CE):

He was son of Praushtasri and ruled Bandhogarh. During his later period the two branches were united together.

Vaishravana (185CE-210CE):

He was son of Bhadradeva.

The successors of Vaishravana ruled the kingdom independently but without any memorable event.
Bhimavarman: He was the son of Vaishravana.
Satamagha: He was son of Bhimavarman.
 

Vijayamagha:

He was the son of Satamagha. He was a contemporary of Chandragupta I of Gupta dynasty. During his reign, the kingdom was attacked many times by Nagas of Padmavathi, who rose to power in Kosala region.

Mahendra:

He was son of Vijayamagha. He was defeated by and surrendered to Samudra Gupta in 350 CE. He was then made governor of Arang region in Madhya Pradesh. He was the last ruler of the Magha dynasty as his ancestral kingdom was annexed to the Gupta Empire.
 

 

The successors under Gupta suzerainty in western Kosala were:
Raja Sura
Dayithavarman I
Vibhishana
Bhimasena I
Dayithavarman II
Bhimasena II
During the reign of Bhimasena II, the kingdom was invaded by Harisena and Prince Subhadra, son of Bhimasena II was killed during the battle. The region was annexed to the Vakataka kingdom by its ruler Harisena in 475CE.

Sada Dynasty (20BC-100CE)
The rulers of this dynasty ruled as feudatories of Satavahanas. Their kingdom was a small land namely Mahishaka inside the vast Satavahana empire. The coins issued by the rulers are the only historical records to know about the dynasty and rulers. Finally annexed to Satavahana Kingdom during the reign of Vasishtiputra Pulumavi

Siri Sada (20BC–10CE)
Maha Sada (10CE–30CE)
Vijaya Sada (30CE–40CE)
Asaka Sada (40CE–65CE)
Siva Sada (65CE–75CE)
Sivamaka Sada (75CE–100CE)