Divine Distrubance

The New Year of 2026 began not with peace, but with a relentless assault of high-decibel noise from Ayyappan devotees. From New Year's Eve onward, speakers erupted with continuous sound, displaying a disregard for law, civic morality, and the well-being of others—as if they were the sole inhabitants of the universe.

No sooner had their observances concluded than a new wave began: a discordant cocktail of noise from various temples, each broadcasting its own message, blending into an indecipherable cacophony. This was swiftly followed by the amplified calls from mosques, completing the cycle of auditory siege.

These factions, by claiming dominion over public space through their religious institutions, inflict a profound disturbance on the general public. Our town has been transformed into a living hell. This is our New Year’s reality—a state of torment stemming from the total failure of the authorities to protect people's right to peace.

If God exists, He has surely fled elsewhere in search of quiet. Such is the state of our divine town.

With that, I extend New Year wishes to all—from the heart of this bedlam.

Suprabhatam Under Article 21

I am not your God—
you need not wake me.
I know my time,
I rise when I must.

I am not your God—
I can wake myself,
without your calls,
without your noise.

I am not your God—
keep your voices
between you and yours.
I never asked to hear them.

I am not your God—
yet in your shouting,
you disturb the very one
you claim to serve.

Lower your noise.
Let your faith be quiet.
Let your devotion be private.

I am not your God.

Kaantha (2025) – Tamil Film Review

Director: Selvamani Selvaraj
Cast: Dulquer Salmaan, Samuthirakani, Bhagyashri Borse, Rana Daggubati

Kaantha is a film that mixes many genres very well. It has the fear and tension of a horror movie, the curiosity of a suspense film, and the excitement of a thriller. At the same time, it tells a strong emotional story about people and their lives.

The film is set in the past, and the sets and locations look beautiful. Every place feels carefully made. Director Selvamani Selvaraj has sclupted each scene with great attention, so the story moves smoothly from beginning to end.

The story flows naturally until the police investigation begins. At that point, the pace slows a little. But soon, the police part joins the main story again and fits well into the overall flow.

All the actors perform very well. The set tells the story. The place tells the story. The people tells the story. Rana Daggubati as Inspector Devaraj “Phoenix”, Ravindra Vijay as Martin Prabhakaran, Gayathrie Shankar as Devi, Mahadevan’s wife, Nizhalgal Ravi as Sivalingam Mudaliar, Devi’s father, Bagavathi Perumal as Constable Kaathu, Vaiyapuri as Selvam, Tamizhselvi as Rani, Bijesh Nagesh as Babu and all other actors build the world of Kaantha and support the main story of fame, ambition, and mystery.

Samuthirakani as TPK “Ayya”, the strict mentor and filmmaker who found and shaped Mahadevan’s journey. He shows deep emotions through his face and body language, without speaking too much. The loss, the betrayal, his knoweldge, his flaw of human nature expressed without any hindrance.

Dulquer Salmaan as Thiruchengode Kalidasa Mahadevan “TKM”, the superstar actor acts with honesty and calm strength, showing ambition, fear, and confusion clearly.

Bhagyashri Borse as Kumari gives a natural and emotional performance that feels real. She performs as a girl born to act.

The actors often show emotions instead of saying them, which makes the film more powerful. The dialogues are short, sharp, and meaningful.

The music supports the story and never becomes too loud or distracting. It helps the emotions instead of controlling them.

The most important part of Kaantha is its message. The film shows how many people do not live the life they want. Instead, their lives are sclupted or controlled by parents, society, or powerful people. It talks about dreams, identity, and the different masks people wear to survive.

Kaantha is a special film. You may start watching it for the suspense, light horror, or the historical setting, but you will remember it for the strong acting and meaningful story.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Verdict: Must-Watch

Noise Pollution

 Margazhi = Hell

If Noise Is Devotion …

With the onset of the Ayyappa pilgrimage season, many neighborhoods across the region are witnessing late-night devotional gatherings and kanni pooja ceremonies. While the season holds deep spiritual significance for Ayyappa devotees the celebrations are increasingly accompanied by high-volume loudspeakers, causing widespread disturbance.

These gatherings extend late into the night, with amplified chanting and music echoing across residential areas. The devotees describe themselves as being a spiritual state (“sami”), yet the level of noise often disrupts the peace of the very communities they live in. A tradition meant to elevate the spirit ends up exhausting the neighborhood.

The noise is unbearable for school students preparing for exams, infants, senior citizens, and patients who require rest. On nights, the sound is so loud that it feels like the entire neighborhood is being pushed into a kind of hell.

Noise Pollution Laws Frequently Overlooked

Current noise-control regulations clearly restrict the use of loudspeakers during night hours. However, these gatherings operate far beyond the permitted time and volume limits, placing stress on people’s sleep, health, and daily routines.

Public health experts warn that exposure to high decibel levels, especially at night, can lead to anxiety, elevated blood pressure, sleep disorders, and long-term stress.

Faith is personal.
Noise is public.

And when personal devotion spills into public suffering, it stops being holy. True spirituality doesn’t demand loudspeakers; it demands empathy. Devotion need not come at the cost of another person’s peace. In any season of faith, consideration is the highest form of worship.

Noise Pollution and Mosques

The announcements and preaching from mosques begin as early as 5 AM, often at sound levels far exceeding the permissible limits. Such excessive amplification not only violates public health norms but also contradicts the very spiritual message of kindness and consideration.

A striking contradiction emerges when high-volume sermons proclaim verses such as “…Be good to your parents… and the neighbour who is near and the neighbour who is far…”—yet the loudness of these broadcasts disturbs the very neighbours the scripture urges believers to protect. The impact is felt most by people whose sleep and health are vulnerable: school-going children, night-shift workers, patients, and the elderly.

The Quran itself advises moderation in speech.
In Surah Luqman (31:19), it states:
“Be moderate in your pace and lower your voice; indeed, the harshest of sounds is the braying of a donkey.”

This reminder makes it clear that true devotion includes respecting the peace and well-being of those living nearby

Noise Pollution

 Religion = Noise Pollution

Aaryan – Tamil Film Review

He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.
- Art of War by Sun Tzu

Who is an actor? 

The website backstage.com has a clear answer. As it puts, "Actors are storytellers who use their body and voice as tools to transport the audience into a different world. At its core, the word “actor” indicates someone who portrays a character in a performance. This could be for film, television, theater, or even voice work for animations and video games. An actor’s main responsibility is to bring a character to life by embodying their emotions, behavior, and perspective to an audience."

In Aaryan, this very essence of actor is missing. Acting too follows Sun Tzu's wisdom: knowing when to express, when to hold back, when to explode, and when to stay still. Great performers choose their battles with emotion. 

In this film, however, the performers seem unaware of this discipline. They neither fight for the character nor choose restraint. The result is a cast that appears present on screen but absent in spirit, as if everyone is in the film but no one is acting. Nothing more than to say.