 In the year 1858 Sai Baba returned to Shirdi . Around this time he adopted his famous style of dress consisting of a knee @-@ length one @-@ piece Kafni robe and a cloth cap . Ramgir Bua , a devotee , testified that Sai Baba was dressed like an athlete and sported ' long hair flowing down to the end of his spine ' when he arrived in Shirdi , and that he never had his head shaved . It was only after Baba forfeited a wrestling match with one Mohiddin Tamboli that he took up the kafni and cloth cap , articles of typical Sufi clothing . This attire contributed to Baba 's identification as a Muslim fakir and was a reason for initial indifference and hostility against him in a predominantly Hindu village . 
