Why was lighting lamps so important to Sai Baba, and what does his routine tell us about his devotion?

Lighting lamps was an act of deep significance for Sai Baba. Chapter 5 describes it as a 'great fondness for the festival of lights.' His devotion was expressed through his personal, daily routine of taking a tin pot and going from shop to shop to beg for oil. He even celebrated the Diwali festival by tearing rags to make wicks and lighting the lamps himself. The true depth of this commitment is revealed when the grocers refused him oil. Instead of forgoing the ritual, he performed a miracle by lighting the lamps with water. This shows that the act of lighting the lamps was not a mere routine but a profound expression of his spiritual state, one he would ensure was completed no matter the obstacle.