Can you compare the payment Balabuva Satarkar received in Shirdi to his usual earnings at Kavthe?

Yes, there was a significant difference in payment. According to Chapter 6, Balabuva Satarkar's usual fee for performing the Ram Navami Kirtan at Kavthe was 30 rupees, which was part of a larger imperial grant. That particular year, he missed this income due to the festival's cancellation. However, after performing the Ram Navami festival in Shirdi, Sai Baba ensured he was compensated far more generously. He received an honorarium of 'more than a hundred and fifty' rupees. The text explicitly states that Baba gave him 'Five years' worth of Kavthe’s income' in that single festival, which brought Balabuva immense joy and gratitude.