How the Terms “Spirituality” and “Secularism” Appeared and Have Worked in Modern India

This paper examines the usage of English terms related to the important religious concepts of “spirituality” and “secularism” in and around modern India, employing the simple DH (Digital Humanities) approach of “counting.” The seemingly opposite terms “spirituality” and “secularism” are both essential key notions for the religiosity of the modern world and India, particularly. Like opposite sides of the same coin, they form a conceptual pair that expresses modern universalism and have functioned to mediate and bridge differences in culture and values. Despite the importance, however, scholars have yet to examine how and when the terms themselves have been used thoroughly. This paper explores the usage of these terms in some English-language texts in and around modern India, focusing on the changes in the frequency of their use in the online databases of the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda and the Times of India. These examinations show that these English words were used in more unique and active ways in India than is often assumed. The modern use of these terms was not necessarily due to Western influence but was, at least partly, developed by modern Indians. In some cases, the Indian usage may have even preceded and influenced the new appearance of these terms in the West. This paper suggests that what we perceive as “modern” is at least partly the product of the agency and participation of the non-Western world, including India.