Why was a simple bundle of powdered sugar so important to Kashiram that he risked his life for it?

The bundle of powdered sugar held immense personal and spiritual value for Kashiram, which is why he protected it so fiercely. As Chapter 0 explains, Kashiram carried the sugar because a saint named Janakidas Baba had once advised him to perform the charitable act of feeding sugar to ants. For Kashiram, this bundle was not just sugar; it represented his commitment to a saint's advice and a continuous act of dharma. Therefore, the text states, 'that bundle was very dear to him, and he decided that whatever happened, he would not let it go,' leading him to fight the robbers rather than surrender it.