The text mentions a holy man who would call himself 'banda'. Was this Gajanan Maharaj?

The source text does not identify the figure who called himself a 'banda,' or servant of God, as Gajanan Maharaj. In fact, the name Gajanan Maharaj is not found in the provided material. The individual described in Chapter 0 is the one who would become known as Sai Baba. He would say 'Allah bhala karega' (God will do good) when giving blessings and frequently uttered 'Yaade Haq,' meaning 'I remember/meditate on God.' He was given the name Sai Baba by Mhalasapati upon arriving in Shirdi with Chandbhai Patil's family's wedding party.