Memorial of Heo Hwang-ok, Ayodhya

A memorial of the Korean queen Heo Hwang-ok is located in Ayodhya, India.

Heo Hwang-ok is a legendary queen mentioned in the 13th-century chronicle Samguk Yusa. She is said to have come to Geumgwan Gaya from Ayuta.[1] Based on identification of Ayuta with Ayodhya, she is believed to be of Indian origin.[2]

In 2001, a Korean delegation, which included the North Korean ambassador to India, inaugurated a memorial dedicated to her in Ayodhya.[3][4] The monument was built in Korean tradition using a 3 m high and 7,500 kg heavy stone shipped from Korea. The mayors of Ayodhya and Gimhae also signed a Sister City bond in March 2001.[5]

In March 2016, a 38-member South Korean delegation made a proposal to develop the memorial further. The proposal was accepted by the Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.[6] The regional tourism office of India released ₹ 30 million for the development of the memorial. It was decided that South Korean architects will survey the land, and prepare an action plan. Song Eun-Bok, the mayor of the Gimhae city, had visited Ayodhya in 2000 and made a similar plan, but it had not materialized.[7] In May 2017, during the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Seoul, a decision was taken to upgrade the monument as a joint project between India and South Korea.[8]

Hundreds of South Korean tourists visit Ayodhya every year to pay tributes to their queen.[9]

References

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