The Cost of Religious Extravagance: Katina-Wasteful Illuminations, Amplified Devotion

In the quiet hours before dawn, when communities should be at rest, Sri Lanka’s residential neighbourhoods are jolted awake by amplified loudspeakers from religious institutions.

- By KKS PERERA

This relentless noise, presented as devotion, has become a serious public health concern that contradicts the fundamental principles of every tradition it claims to represent.

Living in a hamlet surrounded by five Buddhist temples, a Catholic church, and a mosque creates an inescapable soundscape. Residents endure a continuous stream of amplified religious observances: Buddhist suttas chanted in Pali, Sinhala Christian hymns, and calls to prayer in Arabic. These institutions alternate in providing nonstop amplified sound to communities who never requested such intrusion. The paradox is striking—religions that teach compassion and mindfulness have inadvertently become sources of disturbance to the very communities they serve.

The Problem with Modern Religious Celebrations

Buddhist temples conduct their Vas and Katina rituals throughout October, culminating in elaborate processions that begin in the early morning hours. These feature hundreds of devotees, elephants hired at considerable expense, dancers, fireball acrobats, drums, horns, whip crackers, fireworks, and loudspeaker-mounted vehicles broadcasting recorded chants. The latest development involves installing loudspeakers on every electric or telephone post in the vicinity, creating an inescapable grid of amplified sound that penetrates every home and street. Streets are draped with wasteful illuminations, elaborate lighting displays that consume enormous amounts of electricity while the nation grapples with energy shortages. These noisy, brightly-lit processions often take unnecessarily long routes through neighbourhoods to reach temples located just a short distance away.