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The Sri Ranganatha Swamy temple, Rangasthala or the Rangasthala temple, has a fascinating history and significance. At the end of the Treta Yuga, when Lord Rama defeated Ravana and returned to Ayodhya, a coronation ceremony to crown him the king was held. The noble Vibhishana, the brother of Ravana, also attended it. As a token of gratitude and appreciation, Lord Rama gifted Vibhishana, an idol of Lord Ranganatha, in a bamboo basket to carry to Lanka. Commemorating Lord Rama’s noble gesture, the Saptarishis or the seven sages, installed an idol of Lord Ranganatha and began worshipping it. The Hoysala rulers, in addition, later built a magnificent temple enshrining Lord Ranganatha

As per popular belief, devotees attain Moksha or liberation when they visit the Rangasthala temple after worshipping the Lord in Srirangapatna, Shimsha and Srirangam. Hence the Lord bears the name ‘Moksha Ranganatha’ in Rangasthala. Ranganatha is Adi Ranga in Srirangapatna (Karnataka), Madhya Ranga in Shimsha (Karnataka) and Antya Ranga in Srirangam (Tamil Nadu). Seeing these three temples from dawn to dusk on a single day is said to have had Triranga Darshan. The Sri Ranganatha Swamy temple, Rangasthala, thus serves as a sequel to the Triranga Darshan.

Also, the idols of Lord Ranganatha in Srirangapatna, Srirangam and Rangasthala were installed on the same day. Furthermore, Guru Parashara Bhatta composed the Sri Rangaraja Stotra praising the Lord in Rangasthala during the 12 century A.D. 

Sri Ranganatha Swamy temple, Rangasthala architecture

In Sri Ranganatha Swamy temple, Rangasthala, the Lord graces from the Sanctum Sanctorum, shaped like a bamboo basket.  The Hoysala rulers constructed it based on the belief that Lord Rama gifted Vibhishana, the idol of Lord Ranganatha, in a bamboo basket. The presiding deity, Lord Ranganatha, is about four and a half feet long and is carved of a single Shaligrama stone. He reclines on the serpent Adishesha with his consorts Sridevi and Bhoodevi. The deity’s features are very appealing, and he has an enchanting smile. Hence, the Lord here is also acknowledged as Jaganmohana (the enchanter of the universe).

Furthermore, other deities, like Lord Shiva, Lord Brahma, the Saptarishis (the seven sages), Ashta Dikpalakas (the gods of the eight directions) and others surround the Lord as in his abode, Vaikunta