The char dham is defined by the Pandavas in Mahabharata as "Badrinath" , "Kedarnath" , "Gangotri" and "yamunotri" to get rid of their sins. Char Dham as defined in modern days (literally: 'the four abodes/seats') are the names of four pilgrimage sites in India that are widely revered by Hindus. It comprises Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram. It is considered highly sacred by Hindus to visit Char Dham during one's lifetime. The Char Dham defined by Adi Shankaracharya consists of four Vaishnavite pilgrimages.