Draped in an elegant saree, South Korean First Lady Kim Jung-sook soaked in Diwali festivities in Ayodhya much to the delight of the people of this pilgrim town.
From the moment she arrived in Ayodhya on Tuesday till she departed, local people, especially the youth, applauded and cheered her at the multiple events she attended, along with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
She flew in a special chopper from Lucknow, and as it landed near the Ram Kath Park venue around 2:30 pm, a group of people clapped and chanted ‘Jai Shri Ram’.
She began her Ayodhya tour by offering tributes at the Queen Heo Memorial.
Accompanied by Adityanath, she attended a ceremony for the upgrade and beautification of the memorial dedicated to the legendary princess of Ayodhya who went to Korea and married a king there in 48 AD.
From there, she went to attend festivities at the Ram Katha Park, where she was greeted by artists donning the avatar of Lord Ram and Goddess Sita, who arrived at the park in a ceremonial chopper as part of the “Ram Durbar”.
Kim garlanded “Sita” as they got off the helicopter and state Governor Ram Naik and Adityanath welcomed “Lord Ram” and “Laxman”.
At the venue, where a huge stage in traditional Indian architectural style was erected, she arrived wearing an elegant green saree and greeted the people on dais and in the crowd with folded hands, sending people into raptures.
In her address at the park, she recalled the historic ties between India and Korea and said she prayed for prosperity of both the countries, as they move towards a future of peace and prosperity together.
In her speech, she also mentioned Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore, and said, “There is an Indian adage that sharing happiness multiples it. I am very happy to celebrate Diwali with in Ayodhya with all of you.”
