I read about a friend of Kaka Mahajani who was a skeptic. What was his deal? Why did he even agree to go to Shirdi?

This individual, a friend of Kaka Mahajani, was initially averse to idol worship and a strong devotee of the formless divine. As Chapter 35 details, his decision to visit Shirdi was driven purely by a "clinical curiosity." He set two firm conditions for his friend before agreeing to make the trip: he would not bow his head to the saint, and he would not offer any Dakshina (a financial offering). After Kaka Mahajani agreed to these terms, the two men set out from Mumbai on a Saturday night with the friend feeling he was in a "healthy mind," ready to observe without participating in the worship.