What was wrong with Amir Shakkar, and what was Sai Baba's unusual prescription for his illness?

Amir Shakkar was suffering from a severe case of rheumatism and prayed to Sai Baba for deliverance from his sorrow. As detailed in Chapter 22, Baba's remedy was not a conventional medicine but a specific instruction to stay steadily in the Chavadi. This was a challenging prescription, as the Chavadi was a dilapidated and uncomfortable place. Baba's medicine was simply His word, and Amir was to stay there for nine months, accepting the difficult conditions with faith. His healing was thus tied to his obedience and his ability to endure the hardship of the location Baba had chosen for him.