South Korean first lady to be chief guest at Deepotsav in Ayodhya

South Korea’s First Lady Kim Jung-Sook will be the chief guest at the Deepotsav in Ayodhya this Diwali. Sook, who has also scheduled to attend the ground breaking ceremony of Queen Suriratma memorial in Ayodhya, will be in India from November 4 to 7. Sook will be the chief guest at the Deepotsav, organised by the State Government of Uttar Pradesh in Ayodhya on 6th November 2018.

An MoU regarding the Queen Suriratna Memorial Project was signed in July 2018, during the India visit of President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-In, to facilitate upgrade and expansion of the existing monument commemorating Princess Suriratna (Queen Hur Hwang-ok).

It is believed that princess Suriratna of Ayodhya travelled to Korea and married King Kim – who was also later known as Hur Hwang-ok in 48 AD. Many Koreans, along with wife of former President Lee Myung-bak, Kim Yoon-ok and another former President Kim Young-sam, trace their ancestry to the royal couple.

More than 750 artists from various countries have been roped in for the Grand Diwali celebrations. A grand Shobha Yatra will also be taken out on this occasion and it will culminate on the banks of Saryu River. Fifteen cultural groups from the state, along with cultural groups from five different states, will be participating in the event.