Daily live video Kirtan program from Harmandir Sahib on the internet demanded

Punjab Newsline Network
Tuesday, 22 September 2009


AMRITSAR: Amritsar Vikas Manch has demanded a site for the video broadcast of daily live video Kirtan program from Harmandir Sahib on the internet and also an extension of its audio broadcast on the internet radio from the beginning to the end. In a reminder to the SGPC President Avtar Singh Makkar, the Manch patron Dr. Charanjit Singh Gumtala has apprised him of the technological developments in USA, Canada, UK and many other countries (included India) where by all Gurdwaras have set up their own websites and started dishing out video programs just like TV and one of the most visited sites http://www.sikhnet.com/ provides links to different Gurdwara websites so as facilitate the users.

Even the service from Gurdwara Dukh Niwaran Sahib Ludhiana telecast from 4:30 am to 11 am (IST) and 4:30 pm to 10:30 pm (IST) is linked to benefit viewers sitting anywhere. Last year on 22nd August,Dr.Gumala wrote a letter in this regard to Makkar but nothing has been done.

Programs from the Harmandir Sahib Amritsar are viewed with respect and enjoyed worldwide by not only the Sikh population but also many others. These programs are telecast daily by PTC Punjabi channel in India and by Alpha/ETC Punjabi channel all over the world.

Unfortunately these channels are not available on the internet and a special and costly connection is required from satellite and cable companies. In USA , Dish Network (Satellite Company) charges $150 for installing a new dish and $20 per month for showing this channel alone thus robbing huge sums of money from Gurbani Lovers. And, Alpha/ETC Punjabi is not available in many countries, so it is not possible to watch Gurbani Kirtan from Harmandir Sahib even if they want to spend any amount. In fact, even in USA , Canada , where Alpha/ETC Punjabi channel is available through Dishnetwork, viewers living in apartments cannot watch this channel because it requires putting up a dish which is not permitted in apartment housing. One of the biggest cable company Time Warner show Indian channels but skips Alpha/ETC Punjabi.
Besides, the moment Gurbani Kirtan program stops, the screen of Alpha/ETC Punjabi is taken over by ads from taantriks and venders of superstitions and dogma.

With the availability of direct video programs from the Harmandir Sahib on the SGPC site, viewers, whether in Europe or America or Far East or middle East or even Australia and New Zealand would be able to access them. So world over, thousand of University students can also view and listen to Gurbani on the internet. This would also neutralize the charge of marketing Gurbani which the SGPC has to face not unoften.

Similarly, the radio hours of Gurbani Kirtan should be extended to cover the entire service i.e.from the beginning to the end, daily.

with thanks : source : http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/18966/38/

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