Why did Sai Baba start grinding wheat in the mosque when he didn't have a family and lived on alms?

Sai Baba's act of grinding wheat was not for personal consumption but was a symbolic play to address a crisis. As detailed in Chapter 1, observers were initially puzzled by this action, as Baba lived on alms and had no household. However, it was later revealed that the wheat was not merely grain; it represented the cholera epidemic that was afflicting the village. By grinding the wheat, Baba was symbolically grinding the disease itself. He then instructed the women to throw the resulting flour on the village boundary, an act that is credited with driving away the epidemic and ending the village's bad days. This demonstrates his unique and compassionate methods.