Cholkar's story mentions he had to cross the 'threshold-ghat' before visiting Shirdi. What does this term mean, and how did this obstacle shape his devotional practice?

In Chapter 15, the 'threshold-ghat' is a metaphor for the severe difficulty of managing household expenses and daily financial obligations. The text explains that for a worldly man, this 'ghat' is even more difficult to cross than a massive physical obstacle like the Sahyadri cliffs. It represented Cholkar's poverty, which prevented him from undertaking the journey to Shirdi immediately after passing his exam. This financial obstacle directly shaped his devotional practice by introducing a period of delay. To maintain his sincerity and as an act of penance during this waiting period, he took a personal, secret vow to renounce sugar. This demonstrates how a worldly problem led him to a deeper, more personal form of sacrifice, which was ultimately recognized and validated by Sai Baba.