Indian Awakening of 1905

The revival began in Germany and spread to America and then to England during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. But distinctive revivals with unique characteristics occurred in the early twentieth century all over the world. These revivals are known as Pentecostal revivals. The modern Pentecostal movement began at Perham’s Bible School in Topeka, Kansas, on January 1, 1901. The year 1905 stood as a prominent year as far as the history of Pentecostalism or revivals in India concern. 

The Background: 

Various revivals occurred within a few years of each other in different parts of the world during the twentieth century, especially from 1905 onwards. These revivals were characterized by a particularly Pentecostal character and by gifts of the Spirit such as healings, tongues, prophecy, and other miraculous signs. The revivalists in Los Angeles believed the revivals in Wales and India were especially significant. Frank Bartleman, a participant in the Azusa Street revival, wrote, “The present worldwide revival was rocked in the cradle of little Wales. It was brought up in India, following; becoming full-grown in Los Angeles later.” This statement made clear that through Welsh revival the revival came to India.

A prayer movement in Wales began in 1900. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit began late in 1904, with extraordinary meetings which filled the churches, night and day for many months, every evening for years. The Pentecostal presence and power of the Spirit were emphasized in the Welsh revival (1904–05). Meetings were long, spontaneous, and emotional. 

According to Anderson, even though Pentecostal-like revival movements had been existed in South India since 1860, the Welsh revival spread to India and other parts of the world through Welsh missionaries. In 1905, revivals broke out in the Khasi Hills in northeast India, where Welsh Presbyterian missionaries were working. Another revival at Pandita Ramabai’s Mukti Mission for young widows and orphans in Khedgaon, near Pune, commenced in 1905 and lasted 2 years. 

Mukti Revival: 

According to Roger E. Hudlund, Pentecostalism in India has its roots in Maharashtra at the Ramabai’s Mukti Mission, Khedgaon. In respect to this Allan Anderson, having done meticulous research about the life, and activity of Pandita Ramabai, the pioneering leader of Mukti mission and amazing story of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in her orphanage, comments: “The Mukti revival can be seen as one of international significance as far as the origins of Pentecostalism are concerned. Its importance for the Pentecostal missionary movement, not only in India but also much further abroad, cannot be underestimated.” Therefore, this revival is considered as significant as far as the history of Pentecostalism in India is concerned. 

Sarasvati Mary (Pandita) Ramabai (1858-1922): 

Ramabai was born in 1858 into a Chitpavan Brahmin family from Maharastra. She was honored with titles Pandita and Saraswati due to her scholarship in Hindu scriptures. She was a Brahmin convert to the Christian faith. She was converted through reading a pamphlet on Luke’s Gospel the hearing the gospel from a missionary, Allen. Ramabai was a skilled scholar, becoming fluent in Sanskrit, Kanadese, Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, English, Hebrew, and Greek. Earlier, she dared to defy the customs of Hindu society by marrying out of her caste. Though she was educated in England, she resisted and rejected British colonialism and was a proud nationalist. She established Mukti mission at Khedgaon, near Pune, in 1895. Its main purpose was to provide a refuge for destitute girls and young women, particularly those who had been the victims of child marriages and had become widows, and those rescued from starvation in famine areas. By 1900 there were almost 2000 residents there. Moreover, her character influenced the society. She was humble and a woman of few words. She had much patience and perseverance. She was a strict vegetarian throughout her life. Faith and prayer were her weapons in the battle of life.

Mukti Mission: 

It was at Mukti that dispossessed women and children (especially child widows and orphans) experienced one of the greatest outpourings of the Holy Spirit in modern times. On June 29, 1905, evidence of an outpouring of the Holy Spirit was reported, with several “Slain in the Spirit” and others experiencing a burning sensation said to evidence their baptism in the Holy Ghost “and fire.” Soon the Mukti girls were praying for more than 29,000 individuals by name daily.

J. Edwin Orr documents the spread of the revival as the Mukti bands carried the message throughout the Maratha country. Characterized by emotional phenomena, the impact of the awakening was long lasting in terms of conversions and changed lives. The spiritual movement spread across various denominations, e.g., Alliance, Anglican, Baptist, Friends, Methodist and Presbyterian. At Mukti Ramabai channeled the enthusiasm of the believing community into famine relief work as well as social rehabilitation. In this way the spiritual awakening had an enduring influence on Maharashtrian society.

Distinctive Features of the Mukti Revival: From the above discussion one can draw out the following distinctive characteristics or features, while some are parallel to other revivals like Welsh, American, etc. and some are different. 1) Slain in the Spirit, 2) Burning Sensation, 3) Glossolalia (Speaking in other Tongues), 4) Numerous Miracles.