“I took a guided tour of the museum one day and it was just fascinating to learn about the history and culture of India. And I thought, why don’t I become a volunteer guide myself?” Lim told ET.
He is the only foreign diplomat to date to volunteer as a guide to any museum in the country.
The National Museum graciously accommodated the unusual request from the senior diplomat to become a volunteer guide. After rigorous training at the museum as well as hours of studying Indian history at home, Lim started his gig as a volunteer guide at the museum from August. Although he usually conducts tours on weekends, he also leads high-level delegations from South Korea and other distinguished guests.
“I remember feeling a little nervous when I led a tour for Indian students. Naturally, they knew far more than I did about Indian history, but it was the first time for all of them to experience a detailed tour of the museum. They listened attentively and appreciated that a Korean diplomat had gone out of his way to learn about India’s history and culture,” Lim said. With a Korean-language guided tour now available, Koreans are increasingly signing up to join his sessions at the museum.
During his tours, Lim seeks to highlight the deep historical and cultural connections between Korea and India. For instance, at the beginning of the tour, there is a lintel with engravings of ‘Kirtimukha’, a fierce demon face that is believed to fend off evil. Kirtimukha can be found at the entrance of temples as well as households. In Korean mythology, there is a face strikingly similar to Kirtimukha, known as Dokkaebi. The Dokkaebi motif appears on Korean roof tiles, serving as a guardian symbol to ward off evil and misfortune from the household.When discussing the Kushan Dynasty, Lim introduces the enduring legend of Princess Suriratna of Ayodhya, who is said to have journeyed across the seas in the 1st century CE to marry a Korean king.