On the invitation of Mr. D. S. Rana, Station Engineer, All India Kurukshetra, I with my father, got the opportunity to visit the station on May 28, 2012. AIR Kurukshetra is located behind the Kurukshetra Bus Stand. It is almost 5 K.M. away from the Pipli by pass.
The station engineer was nice enough to discuss about the history of AIR. According to him, Radio broadcasts started in India in 1927 with two privately owned transmitters at Bombay and Calcutta. The Government of India took them over in 1930 and started operating them under name of Indian Broadcasting Service. In 1936, the name of the service was changed to All India Radio. Since 1957, it is known as Akashvani.
He also discussed about the difference between Shortwave , Medium wave and FM broadcasting and how these differences affects the quality, range and capability of each wave.AIR Kurukshetra has played a vital role to bring awareness in listening of Indian music-classical light , folk , tribal and western music .
The AIR's external services broadcasts are meant to project a true and objective image of the country to listeners abroad and to explain the country's point of view on matters of national and international importance. These broadcasts also try to acquaint foreign listeners with the working of the democratic system in India and stimulate interest abroad in the rich heritage of our art, culture and traditions and to highlight the progress achieved in different spheres of life.
In the very first verse of Bhagwad-Gita, Kurukshetra is described as DHARAMKSHETRA i.e. 'Region of righteousness'. Kurukshetra is a place of great historical and religious importance, revered all over the country for its sacred association with the Vedas and the Vedic Culture. It was here that the battle of Mahabharat was fought and Lord Krishna preached His Philosophy of 'KARMA' as enshrined in the Holy Bhagwad-Gita, to Arjuna at Jyotisar. Kurukshetra is intimately related to the Aryan civilization and its growth all along the sacred river Saraswati. It is believed that all the holy waters of all sacred rivers flow/converge into Kurukshetra's Sannehit Sarovar, at the time of Somavati Amavasya & Solar eclipse. It is believed that those who visit this area reside here, take bath in the tanks, or die in Kurukshetra go to heaven after death. The Mahabharata states that one who dies at Kurukshetra attains salvation after death. It is said that the Almighty God after having perfomed, divine, yajnas created the universe here. It is the land where the sage Manu penned his 'Manusmriti' and where learned 'rishis' compiled the Rig Veda and Sama Veda. Kurukshetra is named after King Kuru, who also performed a supreme sacrifice to bring prosperity to the land and his people.
Contributed by :- Shri. Mitul Kansal,kansalmitul@gmail.com