What was life like for Maharaj when he first came to Shirdi, and who were some of the saints he interacted with?

When Maharaj first arrived, he lived a very simple and ascetic life, mostly residing in a dilapidated Masjid at night. As described in Chapter 0, he would go for meals if invited and initially gained renown for giving free medicines and personally caring for the sick. Shirdi was on a pilgrimage route, so many holy men passed through. Maharaj had significant interactions with several of them. He spent considerable time with a saint named Janakidas, who was considered very advanced. Furthermore, his greatness was recognized by other prominent saints like Gangagir Baba and Anandnath Maharaj, who both referred to him as a "gem" and a "diamond."