Its hard to imagine that admist the hustle and bustle of a busy city like Mumbai, one can still find such a beautiful beach. Be it summer, winter, spring or monsoons, this land of sun and sand has a huge number of visitors throughout the year. Each time you visit, It seems like a new day and a different place as the colours of the sky keeps changing in different hues and tones. A lot of memories have been created here. I too remember my childhood being spent there on holidays.
Back in the olden days it was much different. The beach was secluded with few shops here and there. It was also a famous spot for film shoots. One can also spot several celebrities now and then. Later as people got to know about the beach, the crowd started to fill in. Soon the beach lost its charm and within a few years it was filled with litter and stinks. Something had to be done. With the coming of the Clean Mumbai campaign and various other campaigns, the beach was restored again. A lot of changes and rules have been made since then, which included shifting the shops to end of the beach.
At day time, its all about the Sun rays reflecting on the glittering waves. In the evenings, its about the mesmerizing sunset. At night, its the cool breeze as people gorge on food from the stalls, engage in fortune tellers and watch colourful lasers lights spinning into the air. To grab your attention, hawkers spin light emitting toys into the air against the dark sky.
Juhu beach is a foodies paradise with local delicacies avaiable at affordable rates. You must try the special Falooda and Butter Pav Bhaji, something that Juhu was always famous for. Shop no. 58 is one of the oldest shops and has been there since 1965. The owner welcomes you with the name ‘Badhri’, commonly used for Badhrinath, another name of Lord Vishnu. When asked about the beach, he smiled and said, ” Even if its raining , you will still find the beach crowed. At 12 am the water reaches the shops but that doesn’t shop us from selling. This is what makes it unique from all the other beaches in Mumbai. People just love being here, no matter what".
The best way to enjoy this place is to sit back and relax. It also gets interesting when you interact with the people around. Being here is truly amazing, an experience you surely don’t want to miss.
