What was Sai Baba's daily practice concerning the sacred ash, or Udi, and how did devotees receive it?

According to Chapter 33 of the Shri Sai Satcharita, Sai Baba maintained a constant sacred fire, known as the Dhuni, into which he would offer bundles of firewood. The resulting ash was the Udi. It was his daily practice to distribute this sacred ash to devotees. He would apply it to them and would not send anyone away empty-handed, whether in the morning, afternoon, or evening. Furthermore, it was a known custom that when devotees sought permission to leave Shirdi and return to their villages, Baba would give them Udi, which was understood as the true granting of his permission, making the devotees feel enthusiastic about their journey.