From a historical perspective, what role did publications play in disseminating Sai Baba's biography and fostering a community of followers?

The source material from Chapter 0 indicates that publications were crucial in establishing a detailed account of Sai Baba's life for his followers. The 'Shri Sai Satcharita', written by Annasaheb Dabholkar, is presented as the primary text for this purpose. It is noted that this significant work was published chapter by chapter over a period of six years in the 'Shri Sai Leela' magazine. This method of serialized publication would have gradually built a readership and a shared narrative among the community of devotees, culminating in the complete work which became a cornerstone for Parayans and collective study.