How does Chapter 42 describe the people of Shirdi and their relationship with Sai Baba before his passing?

Chapter 42 speaks of the residents of Shirdi in very high regard, describing them as "Blessed, blessed." The reason for this blessing, as the chapter explains, was the immense joy and happiness they experienced by being in Sai Baba's company for a long duration. The text specifies this period as "more than half a century," highlighting the profound and sustained spiritual fortune they enjoyed by having direct access to the saint. This description serves to emphasize the preciousness of the time they had with him and sets a poignant tone for the subsequent account of his departure from the physical body.