Why did Baba often suggest that Shirdi itself was a holy pilgrimage site?

Sai Baba consistently taught his devotees that Shirdi was a paramount holy place, negating the need for long pilgrimages. As Chapter 4 explains, he explicitly told Das Ganu that Shirdi was equivalent to major pilgrimage centers, stating, "This itself is Dwarka City of Ranchhod. One need not go far to see." He reinforced this belief on another occasion when Das Ganu wished to visit Prayag for a holy bath. Baba stopped him, declared "This itself is our Prayag," and then miraculously manifested the holy waters of the Ganga and Yamuna from his own feet. The chapter concludes with the powerful idea that holy rivers themselves come to the feet of saints to be purified, solidifying the teaching that being with a true saint like Sai Baba is the ultimate pilgrimage.