S Korea first lady visits Taj Mahal

South Korean First Lady Kim Jung-sook during the last leg of her four-day visit to India took a tour of the iconic Taj Mahal here on Diwali.

She spent around 45 minutes at the monument and the first lady evinced keen interest in the architecture of the Taj Mahal, which remained closed for public from 9am to noon, officials said.

Uttar Pradesh minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi and Srikant Sharma accorded her a warm welcome.

Kim's stand-alone visit to India, which began on November 4, has rekindled interest in the legendary princess who married a Korean king.

According to Korean legend, the Princess of Ayodhya went to Korea in 48 AD and married King Kim-Suro.

A large number of Koreans trace their ancestry to this legendary princess, who is known as Queen Heo Hwang-ok.

The visit to Taj Mahal is the last stop in Kim's itinerary before she flies back to Seoul.

On Tuesday, the first lady attended Diwali festivities in Ayodhya where she was treated to a dazzling display of over three lakh earthen lamps on the ghats of the Sarayu river, besides a spectacular sound-and-light show.