Who were Sai Baba's first three devotees in Shirdi and what was their role in the community before meeting him?

Chapter 0 introduces the first people in Shirdi to become Baba's devotees. The first was Mhalasapati, who greeted Baba at the Khandoba temple. Mhalasapati then introduced Maharaj to his companions, Kashiram Shimpi and Appa Jagle. The introduction explains that these three men had a practice of serving and looking after the various saints, Gosavis, Bairagis, and Fakirs who frequently came to the busy village of Shirdi, providing them hospitality according to their capacity before they all became total devotees of Maharaj.