Festivals are synonymous with colour, joy and togetherness, streets are ablaze, homes are crowded, and hearts are fuller.
It is no different with Diwali this year, as many people familly and friends come together, but it gets tougher for those in love and in relationships.
Once the celebrations are over, silence reigns in the place of laughter and for couples in a long-distance relationship, that silence weighs ever so heavily.
According to a recent survey by Gleeden in collaboration with IPSOS, 59 per cent of Indians believe long-distance relationships are harder to maintain in today`s world, the majority remarking that “physical presence matters more than ever before”. This feeling is more pronounced in Tier 2 cities (63 per cent) such as Jaipur, Ludhiana and Guwahati than in Tier 1 cities (56 per cent) such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
The high of festivities and the emotional low that follows
During the festive period, it appears everyone is surrounded by love, couples celebrating together, exchanging gifts, taking selfies, visiting families. For those domiciled miles apart, the constant reminders of closeness make the feel of distance more distant. And when the festivities are past, it is not just the fatigue of festive excess that comes , it is emotional emptiness.
Watching others together during the festivals brings home the distresses of long-term relationship partners for what they are missing. Cities such as Guwahati (75 per cent) Delhi (69 per cent) and Jaipur (69 per cent) show that many people admit they find long-distance relationships exceedingly difficult during the festival periods since they are so very much associated with the present physical presence of their partners, and shared things.
Tech keeps in touch, but not complete
Though 21 per cent of the respondents said that technology has made long-distance romance easier, by video calls, messages, and sharing of playlists, most of them agreed that no screen could bring the comfort of being together. Even in tier 1 cities like Kolkata and Bangalore, only some 25 per cent were convinced that technology could bridge the emotional gap.
Meanwhile, 20 per cent of the respondents have taken an even view of things, saying that `it all depends on the couple.` They maintain that in all cases understanding, communication, and mutual effort will determine how the distance will affect the continuity of the love.
Festivals create a yearning for what is lacking
“Festivals emphasise emotions, joy, nostalgia and a sense of belonging and for long-distance couples they accentuate absence rather than presence. Where everyone else is rejoicing with their mates, it is impossible not to feel that emotional gap. After the festivals this sense of loss is accentuated because the distractions obtruded by the festivals grow monotonous, and the longing influences the spaces of the mind. This is why emotional values are of such grave significance it is not a matter of mere calling up on the telephone or exchanging messages, but of endeavours, reassurances, and rituals which keep love flourishing in long-distance romances in spite of space. It is not proximity that saves long-distance couples, but constancy.” says Sybil Shiddell, country manager, Gleeden India
The festival time in India bring to one mind the fact that love is meant to be shared, in presence, in laughter, in little everyday moments. But for 59 per cent who say that distance makes love feel more painful today, it also enforces the fact that love is not only a question of being together, but of staying together, by calling attention and innumerable things which bridge the distance between two hearts.
