Based on the text, how ancient is the tradition of devotional recitations and writing about saints?

The tradition is described as being very ancient. Chapter 0 states that the practice of performing Parayans and Saptahs dates back to the Vedic era, with continuous recitations of works like the Vedas, Bhagavata, and Ramayana. The specific service of writing a Guru's biography is also noted to be very old, as it is mentioned in the Narada Purana. The text further illustrates the continuation of this tradition into more recent times by mentioning the famous Marathi poet Shri Mahipati, who wrote biographies of saints in his works.