The text mentions that Tarkhad's father was a follower of the Prarthana Samaj. How did this create a problem for the son's trip to Shirdi?

The father's affiliation with the Prarthana Samaj presented a significant dilemma for the son, creating a 'great puzzle' for him as noted in Chapter 9. The son's daily devotion involved the worship of Sai Baba's photograph and offering Naivedya, a form of idol worship. Because the Prarthana Samaj was a reformist movement that generally discouraged idol worship, the son was deeply worried that his father would not be willing or able to perform this ritual properly. This concern for the uninterrupted service to Sai was the primary reason for the son's initial reluctance to accompany his mother to Shirdi. He feared that leaving this sacred duty in the hands of someone whose beliefs might conflict with the practice would break the continuity of his worship.