What was the underlying reason for Sai Baba's daily ritual of collecting oil, and what major event did this practice lead to?

Sai Baba's daily ritual was driven by his great love for the festival of lights and his desire to keep lamps burning brightly in both the temple and the mosque. As Chapter 5 explains, he even celebrated the Diwali festival himself by tearing rags to make wicks for the lamps. This deep-seated fondness for light is why he would personally take a tin pot and beg for oil from the grocers. This practice eventually led to a pivotal event when the grocers, tired of the daily requests, conspired to refuse him. Their refusal set the stage for the miracle where Baba used water to light the lamps, showcasing his power and teaching the grocers a lesson about their untruthfulness.