It is said that every year several South Koreans throng to Ayodhya as they trace their lineage to the Indian princess, Suriratna, also known as Heo Hwang-ok, who married a south Korean king around 2,000 years ago. Heo Hwang-ok, otherwise called Queen Boju, of the Republic of Korea is one of the fascinating figures in Korean history with her story becoming an integral part of myth and national identity.
She was not just another queen but was an interesting link between Ayodhya, an ancient city in India and Korea that led to cultural exchange and formation of exceptional historical records. The king and queen started the Karak dynasty, whose descendants are believed to be more than six million Koreans, including former South Korean President & Prime Ministers.
Arrival of Suriratna to Korea
Samguk Yusa one of the most ancient Korean Texts provides details of Princess Suriratna. It mentions that she was born in ancient Ayodhya as a princess to King Padmasen and his wife Indumati. Ancient Kausala, which stretched from present-day Uttar Pradesh to Odisha, was ruled by king Padmasen. As a sixteen-year old young lady, Suriratna reportedly moved from what is today Ayodhya all the way down to Korea where she got married to King Suro. Suro founded and ruled over Geumgwan Gaya kingdom in south Korea.
Bridging Cultures-
Queen Hwang-ok’s marriage to the Geumgwan Gaya founder, King Suro, is regarded as a turning point in Korea’s history. The legend portrays her as a highly skilled queen who brought silkworm breeding (sericulture/Silk farming) and other crafts into the kingdom contributing significantly to its development
Enduring Legacy-
Queen Heo Hwang-ok’s legacy extends beyond just narratives or folklores. She is revered even today by Koreans as a symbol of wisdom, strength and culture. Her story and faith continues to resonate with Koreans with an estimated 6 million claiming decent from her including former presidents Kim Dae-jung and former Prime Minister Kim Jong-pil. A memorial in honor of her was set up at Ayodhya in 2001 which is another testimony to the symbolic link between these two countries.
Intriguing Phenomenon of Twin Fish symbols found in Ayodha and South Korea.
The Twin fish symbol appears in South Korea though not officially used as a national symbol, but it can be found on ancient buildings in the Gimhae region, where King Suro (Queen Heo Hwang-ok’s husband) established his kingdom. notably, the tomb of King Suro features a carving of twin fish, a unique depiction not found commonly in Korea. Interestingly the twin fish symbol even today is the official state symbol of Uttar Pradesh Government which itself traces its roots to Ayodhya’s official emblem. Additionally, several Archaeological findings and artefacts belonging to Ayodhya have been found from the king Suro’s tomb, which have provided some very interesting facets of this ancient connection between Bharat and Korea.
