
As Diwali approaches, the season of deep cleaning has begun across Indian households — a time when brooms, dusters, and nostalgia come out together. But for one family, what was supposed to be a routine festive cleanup turned into an unexpected discovery worth lakhs.A Reddit user recently shared how their mother, while cleaning an old DTH set-top box, uncovered Rs 2 lakh in Rs 2,000 notes — the currency that was officially withdrawn from circulation in 2023.In a post titled “Biggest Diwali Safai of 2025,” the user wrote, “During Diwali safai, my mom found Rs 2 lakh in old 2000-rupee notes… hidden inside an old DTH box probably kept there by my desi dad back in demonetisation times. We haven’t told him yet. And please suggest how to proceed further.”
The post also included a photo showing neat stacks of the discontinued pink notes.
The revelation sparked amusement and disbelief online. One user joked, “Bas itna paisa dede bhagwan ki Rs 2 lakh rakh ke bhool jau (Just give me this much money God, forgetting 2 lakh rupees!).” Another quipped, “Feko mat ise mujhe de do (one person’s trash is another person’s treasure).”A curious user wondered, “Itne paise rakh ke koi kaise bhool sakta hai??? (How can anyone forget so much money?).”Amid the jokes, a few users offered practical advice. One reminded, “They are still a legal tender despite being phased out. You can get them exchanged only at designated RBI offices with a 20,000 limit.” Another added, “Just go to your nearest RBI and exchange after filling the declaration. These Rs 2000 notes are not demonetised, only removed from circulation. But remember to exchange in 5–10 batches, exchanging Rs 2 lakhs in a single batch could put you in a bit of trouble. Different persons will also help.”The Rs 2,000 denomination was introduced in 2016 after demonetisation, but under the Reserve Bank of India’s Clean Note Policy, it was officially withdrawn from circulation. While banks stopped accepting exchanges after October 7, 2023, the notes can still be exchanged at 19 designated RBI offices, with a limit of Rs 20,000 per transaction.