India has begun the work of tracing its “shared heritage” with Korea using the legendary Queen Suriratna, a princess from Ayodhya who travelled to the country to marry King Kim Suro in 48 AD, as a pivot.
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Seoul in May, it was announced that India and Korea will strengthen their historic connection by enhancing linkages of Korean people with Ayodhya. A decision was also taken to upgrade the monument for Queen Suriratna, also know as Hur Hwang-ok, in Ayodhya as a joint project between the two countries.
Beginning Tuesday, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in collaboration with the India International Centre (IIC) will initiate a two-day international conference, which will include delegates from Korea, to discuss the aspects of cultural links between the two countries, focusing on the legend of the Queen.
“There is limited awareness in India about Queen Suriratna, a lot of information has not been documented. Based on the contribution from scholars and researchers at the two-day conference, we will come out with a book on the Queen,” said an official of the ICCR.
Work on renovation of the monument dedicated to the Queen in Ayodhya will also commence soon. The ICCR official said details about how the princess from Ayodhya travelled to Korea and became the Queen are sparse, though there is the work of Prof. Kim Byung-mo and a television series that was broadcast on the Korean TV channel MBC in 2010. In India there have been a few publications, including a book by India’s former Ambassador to Korea N. Parthasarathi, but no extensive academic work done on the issue on both sides.
Notes about the seminar released by the ICCR, point out that the Queen’s descendants in Korea include the Gimhae Kims, Huhs and the Incheon area Lee clans.
“Among her famous descendents is Gen. Kim Yoo-shin, who first unified the Korean Kingdom in the 7th Century. Contemporary personalities include former President and Nobel laureate Kim Dae-jung and former Prime Minister Kim Jong-pil, former President Kim Young-sam, and the wife of former President Lee Myung-bak (Ms. Kim Yoon-ok),” the ICCR document says. It goes on to claim that Gimhae Kims and Huhs do not inter-marry as both are believed to be the descendants of King Kim Suro and Queen Heo, much like the ‘gotra tradition’ followed in India.
