How did the villagers of Shirdi initially perceive Sai Baba, and what was his appearance like?

Initially, the villagers of Shirdi considered Maharaj to be an ordinary or even a mad Fakir. As described in Chapter 0, this perception was largely due to his unconventional behavior and appearance. He wore torn clothes, would sit in various places like by a stream or under a Neem tree, and sometimes assumed a fierce form. This conduct led the general public to believe he was mad. Despite this, the text notes that while he looked like a madman, he was spiritually profound, described as one "who has swallowed the universe."