From a historical and literary perspective, how did the Shri Sai Satcharita become a cornerstone for the Sai Baba community's devotional practices?

The Shri Sai Satcharita became a cornerstone for the community because it filled a specific need for a detailed and poetic biography suitable for devotional readings, or Parayans. As noted in Chapter 0, there was a scarcity of such comprehensive works in Maharashtra. Written by Annasaheb Dabholkar and published chapter by chapter over six years in the Shri Sai Leela magazine, it provided an inspirational and grace-filled narrative of Sai Baba's life. This allowed it to become one of only two such famous and widely studied Guru biographies, alongside the Guru Charitra, solidifying its central role in community worship and study.