Guru Raghavendra Swamy advocated Vaishnavism (worship of Vishnu as the supreme God) and the Dwaita philosophy advocated by Madhvacharya. He is considered by his devotees to be a reincarnation of Prahlada, the devotee who was saved by Vishnu, in his avatar as Narasimha. He is also considered the incarnation of Vyasaraja who advocated the philosophy of Sri Madhwacharya. He was born again as Venkatanatha or Veene Venkanna Bhatta (being proficient in playing the Veena), and was named Guru Raghavendra. The 336th annual Aradhane celebration will be celebrated from August 29 - 31.
Raghavendra Swamy chose to enter the Brindavana in Mantralaya and live on. There is an interesting story that goes with this incident. The Nawab of Adoni decided to test the Guru's powers and brought a plate of meat covered with a cloth and offered it. Rayaru sprinkled some water on the plate and when the cloth was removed, the meat had turned into fresh fruit.
The shocked and repentant Nawab begged for pardon and requested Rayaru to ask for any favour or gift. Rayaru asked for the Manchala village, which has come to be known as Mantralaya. It is at this holy place that Bhakta Prahlada performed a great yaga and Raghavendra Swamy attained samadhi at the Brindavan (sacred tomb) here.
Rayaru's miracles are very well known, be it bringing a poisoned prince back to life, reviving a dead child or retrieving a necklace from the file. His miracles have not ceased even to date for his followers.
In fact, it is widely believed that he appears in dreams and guides his faithful devotees in times of distress. Guru Raghavendra was visible to Sir Thomas Munroe, the then collector of India from the British empire and a testimony to this affect appears in a copy of the Madras Gazette. It is said that Guru Raghavendra Swamy is still alive and listens to the prayers of all his devotees from the Brindavan.
In 1671, Sri Raghavendra Swamy asked his followers to construct a Brindavan around him which he entered alive on bahula bidige (second day in the second half) of the month of Shravana in Vasodhikritanama Samvatsara. He asked his devotees to raise a structure of holy stones and seal it with 1200 Laxminarayana Saligrams. One of his most devout disciples Appannacharya was late in reaching Mantralaya, by which time the construction of the Brindavan was completed. A sorrow-stricken Appannacharya could not complete an important sloka which Rayaru completed from inside, with the words, 'Sakshi Hayatsothruhi.'
The Aradhane celebrates this event annually and the three-day celebration commemorates the day prior to, the main day and the day after Rayaru entered the Brindavan.
Apart from Mantralaya, the famous shrines are in Honnali in Shimoga district and in Nanjangud, where a unique idol of the Guru is seen. 
There are several Maths all over the world that continue to celebrate the glory and traditions of the Guru. Says Parimala S A, the treasurer of Kalyani Raghavendra Ashram, "Aradhane is the time when Rayaru blesses all his devotees even more and it is an occasion for all to come together to seek his blessings."

ARADHANE PROGRAMMES
Devagiri Sri Guru Seva Samithi is organising the 336th Aradhane of Guru Raghavendra Swamy at the Sri Math between August 28 and September 1.
Dhanya Pooja, Gopooja and flag hoising will be held on August 28 at 4 pm, Vidwan Anantha Bhagawat and party will perform Dasavani (Aug 28 at 6.30 pm), Vidhushi Padma Gurudutt and party (Aug 29 at 6.30 pm), flute recital (duet) by B K Anantharam Nadig and Amit A Nadig (Aug 30 at 6.30 pm), vocal duet K V Krishna Prasad and S R Vinay (Aug 31 at 6.30 pm) and “Sri Raghavendra Vijaya” Harikatha recital by Mysore Subbarao Dasa.
nSri Sri Raghavendra Swamy Sannidhi, Prakashnagar is organising the Aradhane celebrations from August 26 to September 1. The following is the schedule of programmes: Dasavani recital by Raichur Sri Seshagiri Rao and party (Aug 27, 6.30 pm), Devaranama recital Mysore Ramachandra and party (Aug 28, 6.30 pm), Devaranama recital by Puttur Narasimha Nayak and party (Aug 29, 6.30 pm), discourse by Balagaru Ruchiracharya (Aug 30, 6.30 pm), discourse by Balagaru Srinivasacharya (Aug 31, 6 pm), Valedictory presided by Sripadaraja Math seer Vijnananidhithirtha Sripada (Sept 1, 6.30 pm).