Who was Korean queen Heo Hwang-ok? Ayodhya unveils bronze statue of Indian-origin princess ‘Suriratna’

India's Ayodhya has unveiled a bronze statue of a Korean Queen named Heo Hwang-ok. This was in honour of the people who think they descend from her. In South Korea, it is believed that Adyodhya is not just related to mythology but is also the birthplace of the Princess Suriratna. As per their belief, she sailed to Korea around 48 AD and married King Kim Suro. He was the founder of the ancient Gaya kingdom. The queen is known to carry the culture of India and the values of Buddhism.

As reported by the BBC, some Chinese-language records say the king of Ayodhya dreamt that his daughter must wed King Suro and thus sent the young princess on an ocean journey. Anthropologist Kim Byung-mo once argued that "Ayuta" may indeed be Ayodhya, though historians note there is no definitive proof the princess truly existed.

The statue is not the first ever tribute to the queen. In 2001, a memorial dedicated to Queen Heo Hwang-ok was established. It was in partnership with Uttar Pradesh and Korea's Gimhae city. It was later redeveloped in 2015.