daily. These people belong to the Vaishnavite families of Simhachalam. Scholars who read out chapters from the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the Bhagavata Purana are known as Parayandars (Parayana reading pandits). Apart from these, vedic scholars are also appointed for regular recital of the Rigveda, Samaveda, and Yajurveda. In the medieval period, a group of sanis or devadasis used to perform four important tasks: performing dance and music, singing mangalagitas and namasankirtanas, waving fly-whisks to the deity, and cleaning and decorating the temple's premises. They were looked upon with respect as the temple's dancers. Women were either gifted as sanis or voluntarily dedicated themselves for the same. They either remained unmarried (referred to as the sampradaya sanis) or had an independent marital life, working in the temple on a part-time basis. At present, the temple does not encourage the presence of such dancers. Cooks hailing from Vaishnavite families and well-versed in the Agni mantra were employed to prepare the bhoga (offerings) to the deity. Other important personnel include water carriers, gardeners, potters, fuel suppliers, goldsmiths, flag bearers, torch bearers, watchmen, repairers and renovators, and cattle maintainers. Religious practices The religious practices and customs of the temple are formulated by Ramanuja and his followers like Anandalvan. They are similar to the ones followed in South Indian Vaishnavite temples such as Tirumala, Srirangam, and the Varadharaja Perumal Temple in Kanchipuram. The prayers are made as per the Para, Vyuha, Vibhava, Antaryami, and Archa traditions of Vishnu. The religious practices are modelled based on the Satvata Samhita, one of the 108 texts of the Pancharatra Agama. There are five metallic idols associated with the deity which serve as the substitute of the moolavar for certain practices. Yogananda Narasimha is the snapana bera (bathing idol), Govindaraja is the utsava bera (festival idol), and Sudarshana Chakra is the bali bera (guardian idol). Madanagopala and Venugopala, two forms of Krishna, are the kautuka bera (representative idol) and the sayana bera (sleeping idol) respectively. The deity worship commences in the morning around 5:30 am. The inner gates of the temple are opened and the Vayu mantra is recited. The priests chant the Suprabhatam for about an hour and half as a prelude to the regular worship activities. It is accompanied by people playing nadaswaram (pipe instrument). The laghvarchana (preliminary worship) is performed; priests offer jaggery and coconut after which the mangala harathi (incense) is provided to the