Why cheque amounts end with "Only".
It looks like a formality, but the word "Only" at the end of a written cheque amount does a specific job: it stops the amount being altered after you've signed.
What "Only" actually does
When you write an amount in words on a cheque, there is usually space left on the line after the last word. That blank space is an opportunity for a bad actor: "Two Thousand Rupees" could become "Two Thousand and Five Hundred Rupees" with a small insertion. Ending the line with "Only" closes it off. Once the reader hits "Only", the amount is complete, and any words added afterwards are obviously out of place. It's the verbal equivalent of drawing a line through the empty space.
When to use it
Use "Only" at the end of a whole-rupee amount: "Five Thousand Rupees Only". When the amount includes paise, the paise come first and the line typically ends there: "Five Thousand Rupees and Fifty Paise". Some writers still add "Only" after the paise; both are seen in practice, and banks accept either, but the important part is that the line is sealed with no trailing gap.
Where "Only" sits
The order is fixed: amount, then "Rupees", then paise if any, then "Only". "Five Thousand Only Rupees" is wrong — the currency word must follow the number, and "Only" closes the whole thing. If you're ever unsure of the exact phrasing, the cheque converter places "Only" correctly for any amount.
Do US checks use "Only"?
No. "Only" is an Indian and British cheque convention. On a US check, the line ends differently — the cents are written as a fraction over one hundred, like "and 00/100", with the word "Dollars" usually preprinted at the end of the line. So a US check for two thousand five hundred dollars reads "Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars and 00/100", not "... Only". The US check guide covers that convention in full.