Juhu is a suburb of Mumbai. It is most famous for the sprawling Juhu beach and Iskcon (Hare Krishna mandir)where lakh takes darshan of Sri Sri Radha Rasbihari everyday. It is surrounded by the Arabian Sea to the west, Versova to the north, Santacruz and Vile Parle to the east and Khar to the south. Juhu is the most affluent area of Mumbai and many major Bollywood celebrities live there.
J. R. D. Tata, the father of civil aviation in India, made his maiden voyage to Juhu Airport from Drigh Road airstrip, Karachi, via Ahmedabad, on 15 October 1932 carrying mail in a Puss Moth aircraft.[1][2]
The nearest railway stations are Santacruz, Andheri and Vile Parle.
History[]
In the nineteenth century, Juhu was an island: a long, narrow sand bar rising above sea level by a metre or two, just off the west coast of Salsette. It could be reached during low tides by walking across the tidal inlet.[3]
Juhu was called "Juvem" by the Portuguese. At its north point, nestled the village of Juhu, inhabited by Bhandaris (toddy tappers), Agris (salt traders) and Kulbis (cultivators) and at its south point, opposite Bandra island, lived a small colony of fisher folk and cultivators (Koliwada). The inhabitants of Juhu were mainly East Indians and there was a small section of Goans. The Church of St. Joseph was built by the Portuguese in 1853.[4]
The open beaches of Juhu have attracted the well-heeled and the most affluent among Mumbai's population for almost a century.
In the 1890s, Jamsetji Tata purchased land on Juhu and built a bungalow there. He planned to develop 1200 acres (5 km²) in Juhu Tara. This was to yield 500 plots of one acre (4,000 m²) each and a seaside resort. Simultaneously he wanted to extend the Mahim Causeway to Santacruz, to access to this area. After his death in 1904, the scheme was abandoned. With the dawn of aviation in the 20th century, the Bombay Flying Club commenced operations in 1929 at what eventually became the present Juhu Aerodrome.[5]
Juhu Beach[]
Highlights/Famous For: Film Shootings, celebrity homes, local eateries
The Celebrity Beach Of Mumbai The Juhu Beach in Mumbai is one of the most famous Indian beaches. This beach is known to be the one of the most-visited beaches of India and is situated in 'Ville Parle'. It is located approximately 18 km from the city center and is a desired location for most film shootings. Juhu Beach borders a posh locality where most celebrities stay and therefore, it is quite common to find famous celebrities jogging along the sands of this popular beach of Mumbai. Tourists visit this beach because of its peaceful atmosphere and its scenic beauty. Juhu Beach is also famous for its local delicacies and street food. The food stalls set up here offer excellent cuisines and snack items. People in Mumbai visit this beach to relax and enjoy after a long, tedious day. There are extravagant hotels and apartments located at the southern end of the beach. Watching the sunset in this wonderful place, guarded by the vast Arabian Sea, is a dream-like vision for anyone who visits the beach.
Activities To Do Try out the various local cuisines offered at the food stalls and snack joints set up at the beach. The street foods, such as 'Pani Puri', 'Bhel Puri' and 'Pav Bhaji' are just some of the many delicacies offered at the beach stalls. One can also visit the famous Italian restaurants here such as Little Italy, Mangi Ferra, Don Giovanni, Penne, and so on. Popular sea-food specialties are served at these quality restaurants sited near the Juhu Beach. Here, one can visit pubs and discotheques that are the youth joints of the area. The 'Gandhi Gram' is located at the north end of the beach, which is a place where children often enjoy their summer vacations playing sports like basketball, cricket and football. Exciting activities like horse and camel rides are also available at Juhu Beach. Apart from other activities, dancing monkeys are sure to enthrall the crowds. People who come here also indulge in activities like jogging, skipping, cycling and even attend Yoga sessions conducted by different groups. Exploring the statues of Indian freedom fighters like 'Lokmanya Tilak' and many other important figures offers an interesting experience as well. Best Time To Visit The best time to visit Juhu Beach is from the months of October to February. It is best to avoid visiting the beach during the monsoon season as high tides are expected during this time.
One of Mumbai's popular beaches and arguably the most-visited one, Juhu Beach is a perfect place to enjoy a lovely sunset. This beautiful beach, amidst the posh town of Mumbai, is a favourite hot-spot for many tourists. Most sightseers, who come here, enjoy the local delicacies sold at the many beach food stalls
Home to celebrities[]
Bollywood celebrities and famous personalities of India call Juhu Place home as its aesthetic appeal and busy-yet-peaceful surroundings make it a great place to live. Many celebrities like A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Akshay Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Hritik Roshan, Dimple Kapadia, Anil Kapoor, Yash Chopra, Rakesh Roshan, Hema Malini, Chakravarty's, Vidya Balan, Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan, Ameesha Patel, Zayed Khan, Paresh Rawal, Shakti Kapoor, Govinda, Dharmendra, Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Raveena Tandon, Anupam Kher, Rani Mukherjee, Fardeen Khan, Mahesh Bhatt and Vivek Oberoi, reside in Juhu. Salman Khan also owns an apartment in a building known as Galaxy Apartments, not too far from the beach. Apart from celebrities, it is also home to a significant portion of Mumbai's Business elite. Hence, Juhu has come to be referred to as 'The Beverly Hills of Bollywood.