Lucknow, Nov 5 (UNI) First Lady of Korea Kim Jung – Sook was given a red carpet welcome on her arrival in the Uttar Pradesh state capital on Monday to attend the `Deepotasava’ programme when over 3 lakh diyas (earthen lamps) will be lighted at the ghats of Ayodhya on Tuesday.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his ministerial colleague welcomed her on her arrival at Chaudhury Charan Singh airport. Tourism Minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi accompanied the First lady from New Delhi in a special Korean flight.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath will give a dinner tonight in honour of the first lady in his official residence.
Kim Jung-Sook’s presence assumes importance because of link Korea has with Ayodhya. It is believed that a princess from Ayodhya, the place where Lord Ram is believed to have born, became queen in South Korea some 2000 years ago. She also ruled a dynasty known as Karak.
The name of the princess of Ayodhya is believed to be Suriratna but in South Korean sources she is named as Heo Hwang-ok.
In this celebration Korea’s first lady will lay the foundation stone for the Rs 50-crore memorial of Queen Hur Hwang-ok. A Korean cultural team would give a performance at Queen Memorial. Padmashri Surdarshan Patnaik has also made a sculpture of Lord Ram in the sand near Queen memorial park.
The official said that the main function would be held on Tuesday when a Sobha Yatra would be taken out from Saket college in Ayodhya where 15 tableaux showing different acts of Lord Ram would be on display. Among the tableaux, four would be displayed by artists from foreign countries like Korea, Laos, Russia and Indonesia. The procession would end at Ramkatha park.
At Ramkatha park Yogi will receive Lord Ram and Sita along with Lakshman who would come on a chopper. The CM will also honour the Ramlila artists of different countries and in the night Ramlila of different countries would be performed along with a cultural dance by Korean team.
The evening will be illuminate with lighting up of over 3 lakh diyas (earthen lamps). The lamps will be lit on Ram Ki Paidi by over 5,000 volunteers. CM Yogi Adityanath will light the first special diya having a diameter of 16 feet.
UP’s Tourism Minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi said that it is never before experience in Ayodhya. The city is all decked up with permanent façade lighting. The entire building at the side of the Ram ki Pauri and both the bridges at the Ayodhya are lighted up. This city is glittering on this Deep Deepawali, she said.
UNI MB SDR 2010