Who were Mhalasapati, Kashiram Shimpi, and Appa Jagle, and what was their role in the community of Shirdi?

Mhalasapati, Kashiram Shimpi, and Appa Jagle were three companions living in Shirdi who played a welcoming role. Chapter 0 provides details about Mhalasapati, identifying him as a goldsmith by caste and a devoted follower of Khandoba. It was Mhalasapati who first greeted Baba with the name "Sai Baba" at the Khandoba temple. The text explains that these three men had a charitable practice of serving and looking after the saints, Gosavis, Bairagis, and Fakirs who frequently passed through the busy village of Shirdi. They would provide hospitality to these spiritual visitors according to their capacity, establishing them as key figures in the village's spiritual life.