The house in Panchkula, Haryana, where PM Narendra Modi stayed 15 years ago as a tenant. The house in Panchkula, Haryana, where PM Narendra Modi stayed 15 years ago as a tenant.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is visiting Panchkula in Haryana after a gap of 15 years, has fond memories of his seven-year-long stay in the area as the BJP's state in charge.

In the early 1990s, when Modi moved to Panchkula, he lived in a rented house of late BJP leader Mahaveer. Though Mahaveer was not keen on renting out the house to anybody, he somehow decided to give it to Modi, who lived there from 1992 to 1999.

Modi lived in house number 481P of Sector 7 of Panchkula, which is located about 500 metres from the Mela ground in Sector 5, where Haryana's chief minister designate Manohar Lal Khattar and his Cabinet colleagues will take oaths on Sunday in presence of the prime minister. Though Modi may not be able to visit his old house owing to his busy schedule, the visit may definitely bring his memories alive. During 1994-95, one fine day when Modi was out of the town, thieves barged in and stole a television set, mobile phone, kurta-pyjamas and a blanket.

"The house was unoccupied before and after Narendra Modi left. We lived somewhere else. As nobody lived in the house, about four to five burglaries took place there. We were tired of the thieves who would barge in and steal even water taps and other household items. Then it was decided that the house be rented out to Modi, who was our first and last tenant. The thefts stopped after he occupied the house," Raj Kishor, 45, younger brother of late Mahaveer who currently lives at house told MAIL TODAY.

"We had reported the incident to the police and had listed the stolen goods except the mobile phone which was in the cupboard and was not in our knowledge. Modi Sir did not bother about his belongings but the mobile was dear to him. The goods were never recovered till today," Kishor said.

Besides the thefts, Kishor and his family also remember the cooking lessons given by Modi.

"He loved Gujarati food and used to bring with him dry kachauries, thepla, shrikhand and khakhra whenever he visited Gujarat," Kishor said.

According to Kishor, PM Modi would speak to strangers and befriend them.

"I remember he used a computer and a mobile phone those days and had complete knowledge of IT. He had a very sharp memory. He used to eat less and rarely took dinner; instead he would take carrot juice. He loved walking and would often go to the lake," said former Chandigarh MP Satya Pal Jain.