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Indian Pentecostalism. Many non-Pentecostals 96 as well as Pentecostals 97 consider
it to be the beginning of the Pentecostal revival in India. Anderson argues that the
story of the origin of Indian Pentecostalism must begin with Pandita Ramabai and
the Mukti Revival. 98 On the other hand, many classical Pentecostals in India have
only recently acknowledged the Mukti Revival to be part of the Pentecostal
Movement. 99 They argued that this revival did not play any vital role in the
making of the Pentecostal Movement in India. As Bergunder has rightly observed,
the Mukti Mission was separated from the Indian Pentecostal Movement and
identified with the larger evangelical awakening in the beginning of the twentieth
century. 100 However, very recently the Mukti Revival has caught the attention of
Indian Pentecostals as well as others and, when the centenary of the Pentecostal
Movement in India was celebrated (6-11 December 2005) the Mukti revival was
acknowledged as the beginning of Pentecostalism in India. 101
Although many studies have recognized that the Mukti Revival preceded the
Azusa Street Revival, they have not given it due credit in the origins of the Indian
96
For example, see Roger E. Hedlund, ‘Critique of Pentecostal Mission by a Friendly Evangelical,’
AJPS 8, no.1 (2005): 71.
97
For example, Ivan Satyavrata, ‘Contextual Perspectives on Pentecostalism as a Global Culture:
A South Asian View, in Globalization of Pentecostalism, 204-05.
98
Anderson, Spreading Fires, 76-77.
99
See for example, George, Trailblazers for God, 29-36. He argues that it is a false notion to
believe that the ‘revival that broke out in the girls Home of Mukti Mission marked the beginning
of Pentecostalism in India.’ According to him, the revival at Mukti Mission caught much attention
because of the international publicity given to this mission.
100
Bergunder, ‘Constructing Indian Pentecostalism,’ 187.
101
For more details, see ‘Athmeeya Avesam Unarthiya Penthecosthu Sangamam’ [Pentecostal
Gathering that Aroused Spiritual Excitement], Good News Weekly 28, no. 51 (2006), 1. The
celebration was organized by the Pentecostal Council of India (PCI), an organization of lay
classical Pentecostals in India. However, it is mostly active in Kerala, and among Keralites (people
of Kerala) in other parts of the globe.
69