Kulasekara Alwar

Kulasekara Alwar was an incarnation of Kaustubham, the gem on the chest of Perumal.
He was the king of Chera Nadu (Kerala).
He was an expert in shastras, arts, Tamil, Sanskrit, martial arts, statesmanship, and strategies.
He was given the title Kozhikon when he conquered the Chola Kingdom and the title Koodal Nayagan when he conquered the Pandiya Kingdom.
His original capital was at Thiruvanjikulam near Trichur in Kerala.
Once, when listening to the story of the abduction of Sita Devi by Ravana, he ordered his army to attack Lanka.
Once, Kulasekara Alwar put his hand inside a pot containing poisonous snakes to prove the innocence of some Vishnu devotees.
Due to his deep devotion for Sri Ranganathar, he later shifted his capital to Uraiyur.
He was a poet by birth and sang praises of Ranganathar right from childhood.
Ranganathar accepted Alwar's daughter Cherakula Valli as his wife to honor his devotion.
Reading his work Perumal Thirumozhi is one of the best ways if you want to understand the real nature of Perumal.
Kulasekara Alwar felt that it was the duty of the devotee to give up the pursuit for worldly pleasures.
He gave up his throne and devoted himself to the kainkaryam of Ranganathar.
Then he was called to Tirumala by Perumal.
Kulasekara Alwar's passionate connect with Sri Venkateswara Swamy is evident in Perumal Thirumozhi.
'Oh, Lord! May I be born as a bird swimming in the Swami Pushkarini, always keeping me near you'
'Wealth can only pamper my body it can not enrich my soul'
'I want to be a fish in any water body in Tirumala'
'I want to be an assistant to your archakas holding your spittoon when they perform thirumanjanam'
'Oh, Lord! Let me be a champaka flower in Tirumala and be of service to you'
'Make me a small stream in the forest of Tirumala'
'Let me be the footpath that leads to your holy feet'
Finally, Kulasekara Alwar said - 'Make me a stone slab at your doorstep so that I will always be touched by the feet of your devotees and I can get a glimpse of your lips always'
Perumal accepted this prayer.
Thereafter the stone step at the entrance of the garbhagriha of all Perumal temples came to be called Kulasekara Padi.
In addition to Perumal Thirumozhi, Kulasekara Alwar is also famous for his Mukundamala.
Kulasekara Alwar's thirunakshatram is Punarpoosam in the month of Masi.