Why did Sai Baba often tell his followers that they didn't need to go on long pilgrimages?

Sai Baba consistently taught that the true pilgrimage was internal, rooted in faith and devotion to the Guru, rather than external journeys to distant holy sites. As shown in Chapter 4, he demonstrated this principle repeatedly. When Das Ganu wished to visit Prayag, Baba manifested the holy rivers from his own feet, declaring Shirdi itself to be Prayag. Similarly, he assured devotees that Shirdi was equivalent to Pandhari, the abode of Lord Vitthal, stating that the Lord would appear right there for a true devotee. The text reinforces this by saying that even the holy river Ganga comes to the feet of saints to wash away her own sins, implying that the presence of a true saint like Baba was more sacred than any geographical location, making such journeys unnecessary for his followers.