The story mentions Babasaheb Tarkhad was a follower of the Prarthana Samaj. Why was this detail important, and how did it create a challenge for the family's trip to Shirdi?

The mention of Babasaheb Tarkhad being a follower of the Prarthana Samaj is a crucial detail that highlights the central conflict of this story from Chapter 9. The son's entire hesitation about traveling to Shirdi was rooted in this fact. The text explains that the son saw the "effort of idol worship" as something his father, given his Prarthana Samaj background which typically favored formless worship, would not be suited for. This created what the text calls a "great puzzle for the son." The challenge was that the son's non-negotiable condition for leaving was the continuation of his specific, image-based ritual, which seemed at odds with his father's philosophical leanings. It makes the father's eventual promise to perform the worship all the more significant, showing his willingness to bridge this gap for the sake of his son's vow.