In Uttarakhand, known for its beautiful valleys, lies a temple known as the Supreme Court of the Mountains. Located in Pankhu village in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, the Kotgadi Temple is believed to be a manifestation of Goddess Mata Bhagwati. Goddess Bhagwati resides here in the form of Vaishnavi. It is believed that just as Golu Dev of Chitai provides justice to those oppressed by evil, the Kotgadi Devi of Pankhu also provides justice to those suffering from evil.
Bhandari Gwal is considered the chief servant of Goddess Kotgadi Devi. Only pure offerings are offered to Mata Kotgadi here, and whenever a wish is fulfilled, a sacrifice is offered in her court. However, this offering is not made to Mata Kotgadi but to the shrines of her servants, Gwal and Bhairava. However, the practice of sacrifice has now been abolished.
Even today, people here trust the justice of Kotgadi Devi more than the courts. For justice, people here write the court’s decision on stamp paper and submit it to the Mata’s court, which is why it is called the Supreme Court of the Mountains. It is believed that Mata Kotgadi is the living goddess of justice. Locals say that in ancient times, decisions for the entire region were made in the Mata’s court.
Justice for not just crimes, but also for five generations is also dealt with in the Mata’s court. Unjust crops given five generations ago are also heard here. People believe that whether they get justice elsewhere or not, they will definitely get it in the court of Kotgadi Mata.
The image of the Goddess Kotgadi is clearly embossed in the statue, which is why the statue is kept covered. Apart from Mata, Surajmal and Churmal deities are also worshipped in the Kotgadi Mata Dham. Every year, a fair is organised in the Mata Kotgadi Dham on the Ashtami of Chaitra and Ashwin months and Rishi Panchami in Bhado.