Who was Chand Patil and what was his state of mind when he first saw Sai Baba?

Chand Patil was a resident of Dhup village in the Aurangabad district. The story in Chapter 5 introduces him as a 'fortunate Muslim man' whose path was destined to cross with Sai Baba's. When he first encountered the Fakir, Patil was in a state of deep disappointment and grief. He had been searching for his lost mare for two full months with no success and was on his way back from Aurangabad, carrying the horse's saddle on his own back. It was in this moment of dejection that he met Baba under a mango tree, an encounter that would change his life and lead to Baba's return to Shirdi.