Who was Balabuva Satarkar and why was he known as the 'Modern Tukaram'?

Balabuva Satarkar was a Haridas, originally from Satara, who was well-known for his Bhajans. As Chapter 6 explains, his skill in performing Bhajans earned him the famous title of 'Modern Tukaram'. He had an annual grant to perform Kirtan for the Ram Navami festival at a holy place called Siddha-Kavthe. However, one year this festival was canceled due to a plague, which created the opportunity for him to travel to Shirdi, a desire he already held. Kaka Mahajani was the one who ultimately brought him to Shirdi to perform for the festival there.