Village Festivals and the Loudspeaker Culture of Tamil Nadu

Long before social media, Tamil villages communicated through loudspeakers. Festival announcements, lost items, devotional songs — everything travelled through sound. கிராமத்து ஒலிபெருக்கி என்பது தகவல் மட்டுமல்ல; அது சமூக அமைப்பு.

During festivals, loudspeakers wake the village before dawn. Songs play repeatedly. Children complain; elders smile. Sound becomes memory. While urban residents often criticise noise pollution, village contexts are different. Sound here creates participation.

We do not romanticise excess volume or ignore regulations. But culturally, loudspeakers remain tools of inclusion. Even those who cannot attend events hear them. In documenting this, VividTamil aims to explain context — not excuse harm.