Why did Cholkar delay fulfilling his vow to Sai Baba, and what personal sacrifice did he make during that time?

Cholkar delayed fulfilling his vow due to severe financial constraints. Chapter 15 explains that he was from a "poor household" and that crossing the "threshold-ghat," or managing home expenses, was very difficult for a worldly man. After passing his exam as he had prayed for, he did not have the means to travel to Shirdi and make his offering. The text states he had to push the journey from "today to tomorrow." During this period of delay, Cholkar made a personal sacrifice by giving up sugar completely, even drinking his tea without it, as a form of penance and commitment to his unfulfilled vow. This secret act, chronicled in Chapter 15, became central to the story when Baba later revealed his knowledge of it.