Secularism is the separation of government and religious institutions, where the government remains neutral in matters of religious belief. In India, secularism means equal treatment of all religions by the state, unlike Western secularism which separates religion and state. India's major religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and later Islam, co-existed for centuries before colonial rule, with rulers like Ashoka and Harsha accepting multiple faiths. Historical sites like the Ellora Caves built between the 5th-10th centuries reflect religious tolerance, as do the tomb of Akbar incorporating elements of Islam and Hinduism, and temples merging styles of various faiths. True secularism as enshrined in the Indian constitution