How did the author end up going to Shirdi, and what is the context behind the story of how he was named 'Hemadpant'?

Despite his cynical and argumentative nature, the author's journey to Shirdi was orchestrated by what he calls strong destiny and past-life connections. As explained in Chapter 2, his association with Kakasaheb Dixit and Nanasaheb Chandorkar was instrumental. The trip was fixed due to Kakasaheb's insistence, though the author's mind nearly changed on the day of departure. The narrative then promises to explain the origin of his name, 'Hemadpant,' which he uses at the end of every chapter. He mentions that listening to this sub-story will reveal its appropriateness and satisfy the reader's curiosity, framing it as an inspiration from Sai Baba before continuing with the main life story.