A brahmin who was a devotee of Krishna. His original name was Sudama. Krishna and Sudama were the students of the sage Saandipa. They lived in his hermitage and once the guru’s wife sent them to the forest for firewood. It rained heavily and they were forced to spend the night in the forest. They became good friends and after their education, went their separate ways. Krishna became the ruler of Dwaraka, but Kuchela and his family were struck by poverty. Once, on his wife’s advice, Kuchela set out to Dwaraka to meet Krishna, carrying with him a packet of wheat flakes.

Krishna was delighted on seeing him and ate a mouthful of the wheat flakes immediately. As he was about to grab a second handful, Rukmini stopped him. Kuchela returned sometime later after, happy after the lavish hospitality. It was only on his way back that he remembered he had not asked Krishna for any money. But when he reached home, he realised that Krishna had converted his cottage into a huge mansion and made him a wealthy man, as per Bhagavata Dashamaskanda.