Sri Lanka, Oct. 27 -- 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. 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 non-stop amplified sound to communities who...