2019-12-18 Wed

According to Samguk Yusa (The Heritage History of the Three Kingdom), a 13th-century Korean chronicle, a Princess from Ayodhya (Suriratna) came to Korea, married King Kim-Suro of Geumgwan Gaya, and became Queen Hur Hwang-ok in the year 48 AD.

Queen Heo, then 16 years old, sailed across the ocean under the orders of the king of the Ayuta kingdom (which is supposed to be the ancient city of Ayodhya in India) on a vessel that carried the Pasa Stone Pagoda, which was said to have calmed the high seas. She thus became the first woman to ever immigrate to Korea.

Princess Heo or Suriratna was the first queen of the Geumgwan Gaya kingdom, and presently, a large number of Koreans, about 6 million are said to be descendants of this legendary princess. There is a tomb in Gimhae, Korea, that is believed by some to be hers, and a memorial in Ayodhya in India.

Department of Post issued a set of two postage stamps to commemorate the bilateral relations between India and the Republic of Korea. The Stamp featured the portrait of Princess Suriratna (Queen Heo Hwang-ok).

Image Source: wikipedia.org