Archive · 11 Aug 2026
Rajasthan Farmer's Buried ₹5 Lakh Destroyed By Termites, Video Viral
A farmer in India named Mangilal had saved 5 lakh rupees by selling a piece of land.
He was scared that someone might steal the money or that his family would spend it.
So one night, he put the cash in a plastic bag and buried it in his field.
Later, when he needed the money to build a small house, he forgot exactly where he had hidden it.
He and his family dug and searched the whole big field, but they could not find the money.
About a year later, during the rainy season, a tractor working the field brought the bag back up to the surface.
When the family opened the bag, they found that tiny insects called termites had eaten and torn the paper money.
They took the ruined notes to the banks, but the banks would not exchange them and told the family to go to a bigger bank in Jaipur.
The family is very sad because their hard-earned savings were destroyed.
Mangilal Meghwal, a farmer in Rajasthan's Balotra district, buried Rs 5 lakh in his field nearly a year ago to protect it from theft and family spending.
He forgot the exact burial spot and, despite days of searching with his family across the nearly 10-bigha field, the cash could not be found.
After recent rainfall, a tractor preparing the field for sowing brought the buried polythene bag to the surface.
His wife and son opened the bag and found the Rs 500 notes severely damaged by termites; a viral video shows the torn notes kept in a tub.
Banks in Pachpadra and Balotra refused to exchange the damaged notes and reportedly advised the family to approach a bank in Jaipur, which financial difficulties make difficult.
- Who
- Mangilal Meghwal, a farmer reported as a resident of Pachpadra (or Newai village near Pachpadra) in Rajasthan's Balotra district, along with his wife and son.
- What
- The Rs 5 lakh he secretly buried in his field was destroyed by termites after he forgot where he had hidden it; the damaged notes surfaced when a tractor brought the bag to the surface.
- When
- The money was buried nearly a year ago and was discovered recently during the monsoon season; a video of the ruined notes went viral around August 9, 2026.
- Where
- Pachpadra in Balotra district, Rajasthan; banks in Pachpadra and Balotra were approached.
- Why
- He feared the cash would be stolen or spent by family members and wanted to keep it safe to build a small house (or room) on his farmland.
Burying cash at home
Depositing money in a bank
How to keep savings safe
Burying cash at home
The farmer buried the cash in his field, believing this kept it safe from thieves and from being spent by his sons or other family members.
Depositing money in a bank
The farmer's wife and son blamed him for concealing the cash instead of depositing it in a bank, saying the decision wiped out the family's hard-earned savings.
- Farmer
- Mangilal Meghwal
- Location
- Pachpadra (near Newai village), Balotra district, Rajasthan
- Amount buried
- Rs 5 lakh (received after selling a plot of land)
- How money was stored
- Rs 500 notes in a polythene bag, buried at night
- Time buried
- Nearly a year
- Field size
- Nearly 10 bighas
- Reason for burying
- Fear of theft or spending by family; planned to build a small house on the farmland
- Banks contacted
- SBI branches in Pachpadra and Balotra refused to exchange the notes; advised to approach a bank in Jaipur
