Even after the entire village came to believe in Sai Baba's power, why did few people maintain a close relationship with him?

Despite the widespread faith that developed in the village after the lamp-lighting miracle, Chapter 0 explains that very few people had a close, familiar relationship with Maharaj. The primary reason cited is his 'sharp nature,' which discouraged people from being overly familiar with him. This inherent intensity created a respectful distance, and as a result, visits to the Masjid where he resided were not very frequent for most people. The text does note, however, that Madhavrao Balwant from the Deshpande family was an exception who began visiting more frequently during this period.