A decade ago the posh hotels fronting this long stretch of sandy beach were as glamorous because it got among Mumbai's filmi crowd. Stories of untamed pool parties at at the vacation Inn and illicit tete-a-tetes at the Sun 'n' Sand Hotel were an important ingredient of each film magazine's gossip columns. Juhu's allure may be a little jaded lately , but its reputation remains strong enough to form it a must-do for each
Indian tourist visiting Mumbai. When there was nothing more substantial
at Juhu than a sprinkling of weekend bungalows, the Juhu airstrip used
to be Bombay's international airport. JRD Tata landed here on his
inaugural flight from Karachi in 1932, an occasion
that marked the begining of what was to become Air India. It Was an
achievement that wasn't blitzed until Bombay socialite Protima Bedi hit
the headlines when she streaked on Juhu Beach in 1960s. Today the area
is home to decently dressed, legendary film stars such as Amitabh
Bachchan and Madhuri Dixit.
It's a pleasant beach if you're not
expecting a quiet sunbathe or a swim. The real attraction is the
carnival atmosphere that develops on weekend afternoons and evening.
Huge crowds paddle within the sea, stroll along the shore, play beach cricket and luxuriate in
the fresh air. They're serviced by a mobile army of snack sellers and
fruit vendors, entertained by fairground rides, and sweet talked by toy
sellers, fortune tellers and yarn spinner.
During the rest of the week it only 1 a short stroll from the hotel strip to be alone with your thoughts. If you fancy avoiding
into the wild blue yonder, Mumbai largest Koli fishing community is at
the northern end of the bay in Versova. Juhu's secondary attractions
include lounging poolside at the beach front hotels checking out the
Hare Krishna ISKDCON complex downing a coffee at the Prithvi Theatre and
shooting pool at Raspberry Rhinoceros.
HOW TO GETTING THERE :
Juhu Beach of Mumbai is 25km north of the city centre, not far from Mumbai's airports. Catch a suburban train from Church gate or from VT using the Harbour Line to either Santa Cruz railway station or Vile Parle station.
