The famous Ajanta cave paintings of India mostly belong to the period of which of the following dynasties?

Introduction / Context:
This question is from Indian art and culture and focuses on the dating of the Ajanta cave paintings, one of the finest achievements of ancient Indian mural art. The Ajanta caves in Maharashtra contain both earlier Hinayana period caves and later Mahayana phase caves, but most of the famous paintings seen in textbooks and tourism images belong to the later period, which coincides broadly with the age of the Guptas and their contemporaries like the Vakatakas.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question asks during which ruling period the Ajanta cave paintings mostly developed.
• Options mention the Mughals, Mauryas, Chalukyas and Guptas.
• We assume the standard art-historical dating used in competitive exams.
• We focus on the majority of surviving paintings, not the earliest rock-cut activity.

Concept / Approach:
Ajanta has a long history, but the majority of the richly coloured narrative murals depicting the Jataka tales and scenes from the life of the Buddha belong to the later phase around the 5th and 6th centuries CE. This corresponds to the classical age of the Guptas and their allied or contemporary rulers, especially the Vakatakas of the Deccan. Because exam questions typically use broad dynastic labels, they associate these paintings with the Gupta period. The Mughals came much later and are known for miniature paintings; the Mauryas are earlier and linked more with pillars and stupas; the Chalukyas have their own rock-cut sites like Badami and Aihole.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Ajanta is best known for Buddhist mural paintings and rock-cut halls.Step 2: Remember that the most famous paintings at Ajanta date to around the 5th century CE, often associated with the classical art of the Gupta age.Step 3: Link this stylistic and chronological phase with the Gupta period and closely related Vakataka rulers.Step 4: Recognise that the Mughal period is much later (16th–18th centuries) and associated with miniature paintings on paper, not cave murals.Step 5: Note that the Maurya dynasty is earlier (3rd century BCE) and associated with Ashokan pillars and Sanchi, not primarily with Ajanta paintings.Step 6: The Chalukyas did patronise rock-cut architecture in the Deccan, but Ajanta's famed murals are linked mainly with the Gupta age.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard Indian art and culture textbooks classify Ajanta's finest paintings as belonging to the Gupta-Vakataka period, sometimes referred to broadly as the age of the Guptas. Competitive exam books usually simplify the wording and say that Ajanta cave paintings mostly belong to the Gupta period. Repeated appearance of this phrasing in MCQs and answer keys confirms that the expected exam answer is the Gupta period, rather than the other dynasties listed.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The Mughal dynasty: Known for miniature paintings, not for Ajanta cave murals, which pre-date the Mughals by many centuries.The Maurya dynasty: Associated with Ashokan pillars, stupas and early rock-cut caves, but not with the majority of Ajanta murals.The Chalukya dynasty: Important for Deccan temple and rock-cut architecture, but Ajanta's most celebrated paintings are earlier and linked to Gupta-era art.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse Ajanta with other cave complexes like Ellora or with later Indo-Islamic art under the Mughals. Another error is to associate any ancient rock-cut site with the Mauryas because of Ashoka. To avoid this, remember a simple mapping: Ajanta's most famous paintings – Gupta/Vakataka period; Mughal miniatures – later paper paintings; Mauryas – pillars and early stupas; Chalukyas – Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal temples.

Final Answer:
The Ajanta cave paintings mostly belong to the classical Gupta period and its contemporaries.