Who were Mhalasapati, Kashiram Shimpi, and Appa Jagle, and what was their relationship with Sai Baba?

Mhalasapati, Kashiram Shimpi, and Appa Jagle were Sai Baba's first devotees in Shirdi, as introduced in Chapter 0. Mhalasapati was a goldsmith and a devotee of Khandoba, and he was the one who first addressed Baba as 'Sai Baba' at the Khandoba temple. He then introduced Baba to his friends, Kashiram and Appa. The three of them had a shared practice of serving saints and fakirs who visited the busy village of Shirdi. The text in Chapter 0 states that all three became 'total devotees of Maharaj,' serving him according to their capacity. Kashiram, in particular, served with body, mind, and wealth, providing for many of Baba's material needs.