to this festival shows the influence of Orissan culture in Simhachalam. Dolotsava starts in the afternoon as the deity's utsava idol is brought to the garden located at the foot of the hill. The deity is made to occupy a special seat and red powder is sprinkled on him as the priests chant the hymns. This procedure is referred to as Churnotsavam. The deity is then placed on the swing and are moved to and fro in a ceremonial way. The Kamadahana ceremony begins at 8:00 pm at a small hut built near the entrance of the temple. The hut houses the deity as the priests conduct a fire ritual. They offer sacrifices in an elaborate manner to burn every aspect of desire. The hut is then burnt, symbolically representing the annihilation of Kama (desire). This ceremony is one of the important utsavas conducted in the temple. Other festivals Krishna Janmashtami Krishna Janmashtami is an important utsava in the temple which celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. It occurs on the eighth day of the dark fortnight of Sravana month. An inscription dated 1233 AD records a gift of 100 cows to provide milk to the temple's deity from that year's Janmashtami onwards. The utsava idol of Andal is taken round the temple and then made to occupy an ivory throne. After completing the bathing formalities and prayers, the chapter related to Krishna's birth in Bhagavata Purana is read aloud along with few sections of the Dravida Prabandha. To glorify the pranks Krishna made in his childhood, Utlotsava (basket festival) is celebrated. For the purpose, a basket with a kalasa and a coconut is tied near the precincts of the temple. Young people are challenged to break the basket which keeps eluding them. At the end of the festival, milk offered to the deity is distributed among the devotees. As the temple's practices are influenced by the Dravida Sampradaya, Utlotsava is celebrated a day after Janmashtami. It differs from the tradition of Telugu people, who celebrate Utlotsava as a part of Janmashtami on the same day. Karthika Deepavali Karthika Deepavali is a festival of lights celebrated on the full moon day of Karthika month. On this occasion, an array of innumerable oil lamps are used to decorate the temple. An inscription dated 1270 AD records Chittana Gopala's gift of 50 cows, two akhandadipas (perpetual lamps) and