Why was the Tarkhad son so worried about going to Shirdi, and what promise did he make his father keep before he left?

The son's hesitation to travel to Shirdi stemmed from his deep-seated concern about the continuity of his daily worship of Sai Baba. As described in Chapter 9, he performed worship of Sai's photograph every morning, including a food offering (Naivedya), and worried about who would maintain this important ritual in his absence. His concern was amplified because his father, Babasaheb Tarkhad, was a follower of the Prarthana Samaj, which made the son question if his father would properly perform what he considered idol worship. To resolve this, the son made his father promise that no one in the house would eat their food until the Naivedya had first been offered to Sai. Only after his father gave him this firm assurance did the son feel at peace and agree to make the journey to Shirdi.