The Chardham refer to the four holy sites situated in four different corners of the country, established by Adi Shankaracharya back in the eighth century AD. The places he had established as the Chardham were Badrinath, Puri, Rameshwaram and Dwarka. However, a smaller circuit of the pilgrimage was made out of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath in the Indian Himalayas of Uttarakhand.
Chardham Yatra has a lot of religious significance in Hindu religion. It has always been believed that every Hindu must go on this pilgrimage at least once in his lifetime. This is because it is believed that Chardham Yatra opens the gates of salvation by washing away the sins of a lifetime. It is said that when a pilgrim finishes the Chardham Yatra, he attains absolute peace of mind.