Why did Sai Baba suddenly start grinding wheat in the mosque, and what was the true purpose of this act?

According to Chapter 1, Sai Baba's act of grinding wheat was a divine play to address a village crisis. While onlookers were initially bewildered, wondering why a possessionless fakir would need flour, the true reason was revealed later. The wheat was not merely grain; it symbolically represented a cholera epidemic ravaging the area. By grinding the wheat, Baba was metaphorically destroying the disease. He then instructed the women to throw the resulting flour on the village boundary, which caused the epidemic to recede and end the community's suffering. This event showcased Baba's unique and inconceivable methods for protecting his devotees, as detailed in the first chapter.