What is "kharavela"

Kharavela was a king of Kalinga in present-day Odisha, India. The best known king of the Mahameghavahana dynasty, he ruled somewhere around first or second century BCE. His name is also transliterated as Khārabēḷa.

The main source of information about Kharavela is his rock-cut Hathigumpha inscription. The inscription is undated, and only 4 of its 17 lines are completely legible. Different scholars have interpreted it differently, leading to a number of speculations about Kharavela's reign. The inscription credits the king with several welfare activities, patronage of arts, repair works and military victories. Although it exaggerates his achievements, historians agree that Kharavela was one of the strongest rulers of Kalinga.

Kharavela is believed to be a follower of Jainism, although the Hathigumpha inscription describes him as a worshipper of all religious orders.