It was sometime after 1910 AD there was an epidemic of cholera in Shirdi. The administration tried everything they could to alleviate the sufferings of people. At last some people approached Sai Baba and pleaded with him to help. The Fakir was moved. He went to a nearby house, picked up a grinding stone and began to make preparations for grinding wheat. He spread a sack on the floor; and thereon set a grinding stone and started grinding the wheat by putting few handfuls of wheat. Devotees thought "What business Baba had with the grinding of wheat, when he possessed nothing and stored nothing, and as he lived on alms!" Immediately, this news of Baba's grinding wheat spread into the village, and at once men and women ran to the Masjid and flocked there to see Baba's act. Four bold women, from the crowd, forced their way up and pushing Baba aside, took forcibly the peg or handle into their hands and singing Baba's Leelas (Divine play) started grinding. At first Baba was enraged, but on seeing the women's love and devotion, he was much pleased and began to smile.

While they were grinding, they began to think that Baba had no house, no property, no children, none to look after, and he lived on alms, and therefore he did not require any wheat-flour for making bread or roti what will he do with this big quantity of flour? Perhaps as Baba is very kind,he will distribute the flour amongst us. Thinking in this way while singing, they finished the grinding and after putting the hand-mill aside, they divided the flour into four portions and took them one per head. Baba, who was calm and quiet up till now, got wild and started abusing them saying, " Have you gone mad? Whose father's property are you looting away? Have I borrowed any wheat from you, so that you can safely take the flour? Now do this. Take the flour and sprinkle it on the village borders." On hearing this, the women felt abashed and whispering amongst them, went away to the outskirts of the village and spread the flour as directed by Baba.

From this time onward  the cholera epidemic started to subside, patients recovered and Shirdi was completely free from this doom of cholera. What earthly connection was there between wheat and cholera and how to reconcile their significance? The incident seems to be inexplicable and a part of Baba’s limitless powers.

This reminds us of a similar story of Kabir who seeing a woman grinding corn said to his Guru (Master), Nipat Niranjana, "I am weeping because I feel the agony of being crushed in this wheel of worldly existence like the corn in the hand-mill." Kabir’s Guru (Master) replied, "Do not be afraid; hold fast to the handle of knowledge of this mill, as I do, and do not wander far away from the same but turn inward to the Center, and you are sure to be saved."