A Deity Beyond Archives: Kotgari Devi, Oral Justice, and the Boundaries of Canonical Knowledge

This paper examines the oral traditions and local worship practices associated with Kotgari Devi, a regional goddess revered in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, India. Kotgari Devi, as a deity of divine justice, possesses a deeply rooted presence in local consciousness but is notably absent from mainstream literary canons and academic discourse. This work critically engages with theories of oral literature and ecocriticism to re-establish oral storytelling, ritual, and folklore as valid and authoritative sources of knowledge. This study illustrates how the living traditions of Kotgari Devi contest prevailing modes of canon formation, archive-centricity, and institutional gatekeeping by referencing narratives of divine retribution, colonial interactions, and caste hierarchies. The villagers' personal experiences and ritual activities demonstrate a cultural memory that demands inclusion and refuses to be erased in broader literary and cultural discussions. This study advocates for a more expansive and inclusive understanding of scholarly value and knowledge production by focusing on a goddess whose authority extends beyond written documentation and judicial frameworks, promoting the growing demand to broaden the scope of literary studies and acknowledge the epistemic validity of regional, oral, and spiritual literatures. Keywords: oral tradition; canon formation; ecocriticism; folklore; Kumaon