AIR Launches Two-Hour Morning Gurbani Broadcast From Golden Temple, Amritsar

All India Radio (AIR) has expanded its morning Gurbani broadcast from the Golden Temple, now airing sacred kirtan for two hours daily on FM radio, a move that has been widely welcomed by devotees and listeners.

The extended service, launched by Prasar Bharati on January 13, airs from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. and replaces the previous one-hour broadcast that ran from 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. on AIR, Amritsar. The expanded FM transmission comes via AIR’s Gharinda relay station near Attari, covering listeners in Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur districts and even reaching audiences across the International Border in Pakistan.

The broader and clearer FM broadcast is expected to benefit devotees who had previously relied on medium wave (MW) transmissions from AIR Jalandhar, which, though offering longer coverage of kirtan, often suffered from signal issues and reduced relevance as MW radio use declines. FM signals offer better sound quality and fewer reception problems caused by urban infrastructure.

Devotees and community leaders have applauded the move. Former engineer Harjap Singh Aujla, who championed the demand for expanded FM coverage, highlighted that clearer FM sound will allow more listeners,especially in distant border areas,to engage with the sacred hymns during the early morning hours. Kulwant Singh Ankhi of the Amritsar Vikas Manch noted that many still prefer radio for Gurbani because of its accessibility and the depth of listening it offers.

Historically, radio broadcasts of Gurbani from the Golden Temple date back to the Dharam Yudh Morcha in 1982, with AIR Jalandhar relaying shabad kirtan on MW as early as June 1984. The renewed focus on FM transmission reflects ongoing efforts to preserve and modernise how devotional content is delivered to listeners across regions.

Bhagwant Singh Dhangera, manager of the Golden Temple, welcomed the extended broadcast, noting that many devotees find great spiritual value in hearing Gurbani on the radio, which he described as “an art to be heard rather than watched.”

The expanded morning slot on FM marks a significant development in public access to devotional Sikh music, blending heritage with modern broadcast technology to reach a wider audience with greater clarity.