Why did the author, despite his cynical nature, end up going to Shirdi?

The author explains in Chapter 2 that his visit to Shirdi was not born from his own desire, as he was initially a staunch debater and proud of his own intellect. He attributes the journey to 'strong destiny' and 'past life connection' with Kakasaheb Dixit and Nanasaheb Chandorkar. In fact, the trip was fixed solely due to Kakasaheb's insistence. The author's reluctance is highlighted by the fact that on the very day of departure, his mind suddenly changed, indicating he almost did not go.