Secularism is a “process whereby religious thinking practice and institutions loose their social significance”. To speak of secularism is to speak of the triumph of science over religion and reason over faith. Secularism is a celebration of man’s reason, ability to emancipate him/her from the influences of religious customs, beliefs, practices. Therefore, Secularism means the inevitable “desacrilisation” of the World. The World loses its sacred character as man and nature become the object of rational-casual explanation in which the supernatural plays no part.

The word secular is derived from the Latin word ‘secular’, which means the ‘prevent age or generation’. In 1851 George Jacob Holyoake coined the term secularism. He declared it as the only rational basis of political and social organisation. Holyoake questioning the religious basis of civil society, recommended secularism as state ideology which promotes human welfare by material means and makes the service of others its duty.

Secularisation came into use in Europe, to desribe the transfer of territories previously under the control of the church to the dominion of secular authority or the state.  Social thinkers have used the word secularisation to indicate a process whereby the religious institutions and religious conceptions and understanding have lost control in worldly matters-economy, polity, justice, health, family and so on. According to , Bryan R. Wilson, in secularisation process “the various social institutions gradually become distinct from one another and increasingly free of the marix of religious assumptions that had earlier informed....inspired and dominated their operation. Conceptions of the supernatural are gradually displaced from all social institutions (the economy, the polity, morality, justice, education, health, and family) become recognised as distinctive concerns operating with considerable autonomy.

Defining secularism, Dr. M.N. Srinivas writes, “The term ‘secularization’ implies that what was previously regarded as religious is now ceasing to be such, and it also implies a process of differentiation which results in the various aspects of society, economic, political, legal and moral, becoming increasingly discrete in relation to each other.” 

Thus broadly speaking Secularization is a concept used to refer to a multi-dimensional historical process generally associated with modernity. At this time Europe was waking up from the medieval slumber to whole new areas of change. There was growing rational-empirical inquiry. There was Reformation in the Church and Renaissance in the arts and learning. Thus , modernity is embodied in several processes of change like structural and functional differentiation at the level of institutions, development of pluralism at the level of social groups, rationalization as described by Max Weber which refers to the emergence of a scientific-rational world-view and development of a critical consciousness. All these processes contribute to the gradual emergence of the secularization process.

Secularization is not only a historical fact but contemporary too, From Comte to Max Weber to more recent writers such as Bryan Wilson and Peter Berger, the theorists of secularization have engaged in debates about its universality, irreversibility and its progressive encapsulation of societies.

Change from within

One aspect of secularisation is that religions modify their doctrines and practices in response to the changing needs of their members and in response to change in society. For example, in 1976, the Episcopal Church in the United States of America officially allowed women to become priests. and, in England it was only recently that the Church allowed women to become priests, causing much controversy. We can see how the Church responded to the changing situation and the position of women in society. Secularization also influences the content of religious belief and in doing so it leads, many times, to the development of a sect.  Some sociologists see the seeds of secularisation in the very development of monotheistic religions, which rationalised and systematised the conceptions of the supernatural.

Secularization in religion is usually accompanied by increase in attention to public issues. Secular and profane activities have become as important as the sacred. Thus we find religious institutions getting involved with running of modern hospitals and secular educational institutions or engaging in philanthropic activities. Religion in industrial societies often reflects the pragmatism of our age, and in doing so, is increasingly moving away from the supernatural.

Secularism as a political ideology

These connotations are applied even to a modern democratic state now. A modern state by its definition and liberal and democratic policy  makes no distinction between groups, classes etc. wthin society, irrespective of religious affiliation. The political philosophy on the part of the state required that the state shall not impose any religion on people and did not prohibit practice of religion by a section of the people. Thus, with secularism as an ideological goal, the proponents of this ideology consciously denounce religious orthodoxy as the basis for social organisation and advocate civil values. In many modern states it has been adopted as a state policy.

Secularism in India

Secularism in India has to be understood against its multi-religious and multi-lingual background with its tremendous diversity.  In India, secularisation and secular has been used in the context of nature of the state. It has been conceived in this way keeping in view multi-religiousity of the society and the religious conflicts thereof. In India, the term secularism implies that the state will not identify with any one religion but is tolerant of all religious practices.  The secular ideal was adopted during the freedom struggle to unite the various communities against the colonial power. The maturing of secular concept is closely linked up with the development of nationalism during the long course of the freedom struggle. The secular concept was later on incorporated in the constitution. The constitutional mandate of secularism was not only for detachment of religion in public life but progressive and modern outlook, coupled with equal rights and statuses for all.

According to Bhattacharya “Secularism, nationalism and democracy are therefore, mutually reinforcing ideals that were sought to be emphasised by the post-colonial state in India”. K.M. Panikkar in explaining the content of the secular state in India stresses on this point. “It (the secular state) eliminates from the body politics all ideas of division between individuals on the basis of its policy what Aristotle terms “distribution justice” that all communities must share as they must share the duties and responsibilities of being a citizen.”

Prior to the British intervention in Indian politics, there existed  no conflict between religion and politics. In fact, as Dumont observed: ‘Religion here is constitutive of society. Politics and Economics are neither autonomous domains nor are they contradictory of religion, they are simply encompassed by religion’. Recalling Dumont, T N Madan,1981 feels that “religion and secular cannot be separated in other words, religion cannot be in any meaningful sense privatised.” However the coming of the British made some change. The British state maintained an attitude of neutrality. Further, the British introduced the concept of equality before law, irrespective of caste and creed. Along with this break in tradition, modern education became in important factor of change. An important element in the political awakening in India was the growing liberalism which came with modern education. The Indian middle-class was the major beneficiary of British education and one of the first to initiate a nationalist struggle against the British.

Secularism in freedom struggle

The secular ideology of the national leaders by keeping religion at a distance was challenged by the likes B G Tilak, Aurobindo Ghosh, Lajpat Rai. The Congress faced a dilemma whether to allow the mobilisation of the masses using religious symbols etc. or not, for it may alienate the Muslim community.

By 1920 the leadership of the Congress passed into the hands of Mahatma Gandhi. He openly declared the necessity of religion in politics. Although deeply rooted in Hindu popular ethos, Gandhi believed in pluralism and equal respect for all religions. Inspite of Gandhi’s efforts to unite Hindus and Muslims, the excessive usage of Hindu symbols alienated the Muslims. There grew extremist tendencies both among Hindus and Muslims. Nationalism became polarised with the setting up of Muslim League and Hindu Mahasabha and the militant socio-religious organisation called the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Instead of nationalism based on territories, these communiteis now struggled for nation on the basis of religious identity. Sudipto Kaviraj writes: “precisely because of long familiarity with other communities identities and the relative newness of identity of nation” there was a need for creating a feeling of nationalism through various means (in this case through religion, mainly) to face the British Colonialism.  Pointed out to this kind of nationalism, Sudipta Kaviraj  feels that “as long as the national movement faced the British, this urgency in political discourse in constantly spelling, naming, repeating the making of the  nation was evident. After independence was achieved, this urgency was allowed to lapse”.

India  was partitioned in 1947 into India and Pakistan amidst communal riots. In 1948 there was the tragic assassination of Gandhi. This gruesome tragedy impressed upon the Indian leaders the need for a secular ideology to keep politics and religion separate.

The State failed to form a dialogue with various vernacular cultures to achieve this ideal of secularism. It remained aloof from the masses. Apart from this neglect, we are faced with contradictions present in a liberal democratic system like ours, where there is a great deal of uneven economic development. With this arose a feeling of injustice and deprivation which finds expression in various ways. Mobilising one’s own community on religious and ethnic lines is very often the practice. The State/political parties on the other hand address communities to gain support. This only reinforces the primordial identities of community and religion. And they know that the only way to bring about pressure on the authorities is to mobilise on criteria like language, ethnicity and religion. So, as we can see in a multi-religious mutli-ethnic country, secularism even with best intentions is difficult to achieve.

Dimensions of secularism in India

The ideology of secularism has a variety of connotations in India. As Madan notes these dimensions are.

the separation of state from religion.

equal and impartial treatment of all communities by the state.

approaching religious beliefs in a spirit of objective rationality.

ensuring a just standard of living for all people irrespective of community.

The secular ideal enshrined in our constitution has a peculiar mix of ethnic identities and common citizenship. It tries to ensure pluralities within a democratic nation-state.

The Official Indian (Nehruvian) Model

India is formally a secular democratic state. The Indian Constitution spelt out in several articles the main provisions regarding the secular state even before the term secularism was introduced into in 1976 .

First, it guarantees freedom of religion to individuals as well as to religions (to “every religions denomination of any section thereof).

Second, it guarantees equality of citizenship, that is, no discrimination on grounds of religion (Art 15.1) equality of opportunity in public employment (Art 16.1,2), no discrimination in educational institutions (Art 29.2), and no communal electorates (Art 325), although there is special provision for reservation of seals for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.

Third, it provides for separation of state and religion, that is, no special taxes for  promotion of religions and no religions instruction in state educational institutions. It is clear that the intention of the Constitution is neither to oppose religion nor to promote a rationalization of culture, but merely to maintain the neutrality and impartiality of the state in matters of religion.

This model of secularism is premised on at least a certain degree of secularization of civil society, in the sense of dissociation between religion and society and the relegation of religion if not entirely into the private sphere at least into some very limited domains of public life.

Secularism in this sense is also seen as a protector of minority rights. It is instructive that minorities in India despite being intensely religious and sometimes even fundamentalist are among the most ardent supporters of secularism from which they primarily expect the impartiality and neutrality of the state. The alternative as they see it, is Hindu domination of society, if not an outright Hindu the

The above discussion makes clear the nature of secularism in India.  The process of secularization stared with the advent of British rule but is got accelerated with democratization, industrialization and urbanization in the post independence period.

A large number of changes in Indian society indicate the progressive adoption of secular ideology. Few changes are discussed as under.

Secularization and caste system

In Indian society the influence of Hindu religion is to be seen in the distinction of pure and impure.  For example, the activities reserved for the shudras, if done by the high caste person, he will become impure.  The sentiment of untouchability is linked with this feeling of impurity.  Under the impact of industrialization there is great change in Hindu society regarding purity and impurity.  IN the past the high caste person would rather starve than take to the profession of low caste, but now even Brahmins sell shoes.  Now-a-days a menstruating woman freely moves every where and does all house hold duties.  She is no longer considered impure, requiring quarantine.  Now-a-days the feeling of untouchability is declining.  Now, on account of enlightenment, the criterion of pure and impure is not religious scripture but the rules of hygiene.  A number of traditional actions are still considered valid and adhered to, but this adherence is not on account of religion but the principles of good health and hygiene.  Thus now the distinction between pure and impure is no longer base don religion, its basis had become secular.

Secularization and Samskaras

Samskara is a chief characteristics of Hindu society.  For different castes, different types of samskaras are essential on different occasions.  For example without the upanayan samskara no Brahmin could be considered twice-born.  For Hindus there are numerous samskaras for al life, the chief among these are Garbhadhan (conception), Punsawan, Jatkarma, Namkaran (Baptizatian), Upnayan.  Samavartan, marriage and funeral.  For all of these there are prescribed elaborate rituals. Now under the impact of secularization there in great change in the performance of these samskaras.  For example the samskaras like Garbhadhan, Punsawan, Jatkarama are now almost extinct.  Maximum change of rituals has taken place in the case of marriage.  Now only going round the fire and Kanyadan are held are necessary.  Even these are done perfunctorily and little attention is paid to the recitation of the priest.  Thus secularization has taken the religious sting out of samskaras.

Secularization and Family

Family and marriage are the primary institutions. The  provision of divorce and civil contract have greatly secularized the institution of marriage.marriage is now no longer considered as sacrament.  In family also the impact of secularization is to be felt most in the day to day activities of the persons. In Hinduism the day to day life of various castes is fixed.  For Brahmins worship, scriptural reading and yajan etc. are the must.  But consequent upon secularization very few Brahmin families to-day stick to this routine.   The secularization has revolutionized the kitchen and the distinction of pure and impure is now virtually non-existent.  In matters of food also there is little religion now. The festivals are still celebrated but now they have become more a social affair than religious. Now people celebrate Holi, Diwali etc., not so much for their religious significance, as for their entertainment value.  Some festivals are now celebrated on larger scale but this is not due to any realization of their religious significance.  Rather there are psychological causes for it.   Now more people are going to places of pilgrimage but the main reason is not earning of merit as sightseeing and whiling away time.  In urban areas the place of religion is family is now becoming extinct.

Secularization in Rural India

Rural India also is not immune to this influence. In villages the effectiveness of panchayats is declining, the wherever there are panchayats these are now organized on political rather than religious basis.  In the rural India also, now a person is not respected so much for his religion as for his money.  The influence of religion in the family system in the villages is also declining.  The changes parallel to those in the urban families have occurred in the rural families also. Even then the secularization in rural India is on a lesser scale then in the cities. Though inter-caste marriages are rare in the village some stray case can be seen.  In villages the persons of  all castes can be seen to be engaged in the profession of agriculture and  cattle-breeding.