Amritsar, Jan 20: Devotees in the Majha region and parts of Pakistan are welcoming a decision by Prasar Bharati to double the duration of morning Gurbani broadcasts on AIR Amritsar. The station now provides a seamless two-hour live feed of the Golden Temple’s morning prayers, a move that fills a long-standing gap in high-quality FM coverage for the area.
While AIR Jalandhar has historically provided three hours of daily kirtan on medium wave, the move to expand the Amritsar FM signal addresses technical issues like signal interference and fading hardware.
The broadcast originates from the Gharinda transmission site near the Attari border, making it easily accessible to listeners in Lahore and surrounding Pakistani districts who follow the classical ragas of the kirtan.
Kulwant Singh Ankhi, patron of the Amritsar Vikas Manch, noted that the radio remains a vital link for the community, even in the age of digital streaming. He mentioned that historical figures like the Punjabi poet Ustad Daman were known to tune in regularly, proving the cross-border appeal of the broadcasts.
Satnam Singh, a resident of Dhotian village, said that for many in the rural belt, the radio is an essential part of their spiritual life. “Listening to the morning kirtan on the radio is like a daily act of worship for me,” he said.
Community leaders are now looking toward further expansions, hoping the evening kirtan sessions will also be added to the FM schedule. Harjap Singh Aujla expressed hope that AIR Amritsar would soon match the full programming of the Jalandhar station by adding an evening slot from 4.30 pm to 5.30 pm.
