Who was Madhavrao Deshpande, and how did his relationship with Maharaj develop?

Madhavrao Balwant Deshpande was a schoolmaster who became one of Maharaj's earliest and closest devotees. As noted in Chapter 0, while most villagers kept their distance due to Maharaj's sharp nature, Madhavrao, whose school was next to the Masjid, made a habit of visiting him frequently. He would go there, fill the chillum, and share it with Maharaj. Over time, Maharaj began to attract Madhavrao's mind, leading Madhavrao to eventually leave all other work to dedicate himself fully to serving Maharaj and the devotees who came for darshan. He became a crucial support for the devotee community, and many sought his advice.