Rangasthala is located on the way to Gauribidanur from Chikkaballapur of Karnataka. The main attraction of Rangasthala is a beautiful temple of lord Ranganatha, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
The idols of Lord Ranganatha at Rangastla, Srirangam and Srirangapatna were installed on same day and same time. The temple architecture is in Vijayanagar style. Outside Gopuram was constructed by Vijayanagara Kings. The garbhagriha looks like shape of a Bamboo Basket.
According to the Indian Epic, Ramayana, Lord Rama presented the idol of lord Ranganatha in Bamboo basket to Vibhishana during the "Patabhisheka" of Lord Rama. Vibhishana was supposed to install this idol at Srirangam, but saints asked Vibhishana to install this idol of Lord Ranganatha with Bhoo devi and Neela Devi at Rangasthala. So the Lord appears as if he is in Bamboo basket.
The idol of Ranganatha is 4.5 feet in length with Bhoo devi and Neela Devi sitting near the leg. Lord is in Yoga Nidra and his Shesha is spreading his five hoods like an Umbrella and Vainatheyan is sitting below.
Like other Lord Vishnu temple, the temple at Rangasthala also has idols of Lord Chakrath Alwar, Ramanuja, Desikan and a beautiful and rare Vigraham of Nam Alwar.
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