Brahmakunda: A Stepwell Built in 1895 Amidst the Posh Juhu Neighbourhood!

All of us living in Mumbai have once dreamt of having a luxurious, sea-facing apartment in Juhu or, to make unrealistic claims, having Amitabh Bachchan as our neighbour. Nestled in the heart of Andheri, with celebrity-adorned bungalows and expensive high-rises, is the posh locality of Juhu. However, it was not always like this.

What if I tell you that Juhu was as good as a village? There was an irregular supply of electricity; the fancy bungalows that we see today were actually small make-shift huts and the roads. Well, since it was a part of the island of Salsette, it was surrounded by water on all sides; the majority of transport was done by ferry or small holes (boats) run by local fisherfolk. Till 78 years ago, the residents of Juhu had to walk in knee-deep water during low tide or use boats to visit the neighbouring island of Parle and had no supply of electricity either. Unbelievable, right? 

However, Juhu is steeped in history, it has witnessed the evolution of Mumbai over the years. Though it might have lost its old charm, there lies a hidden spot that pays an ode to Juhu’s rich and glorious history. This spot is a stepwell, built when the Juhu Village still prevailed. If you want to know more about this nearly 130-year-old stepwell, continue reading!

History of Juhu

The earliest existence of Juhu was noted in a text known as ‘Bimbakhyana’ (The Tale of the Bimba Dynasty), also known as the ‘Mahikavatichi Bakhar, ’ compiled between the 13th to 15th centuries. Juhu was known by various names like ‘Ju’, ‘Juvem’, and ‘Joo’. The rich neighbourhood we see now is nothing similar to what it was back in time. Juhu was home mainly to fisherfolks, and the main occupation carried out here was fishing, coconut farming and agriculture.

The village was surrounded by water on all sides and a marshy region of land. One could also find a salt-producing area near the village known as ‘Khajan’. The water found in the northern region of Juhu was sweet, whereas the water found in the southern region was salty. The fisher folk settlement of Juhu was divided into two parts, Juhu Tara and Juhu Mora. 

What the Well!

A stepwell in Juhu? To answer this question, we again go back in time. Let’s circle back to when we talked about the Bimakhyana. The manuscript of Bimbakhyana was first published as a book by Raghunath Rane in 1877. Rane and his family have resided in Juhu for almost a hundred years, and one can confidently say the Rane family is one of the earliest families of Juhu. Many of the locals state that Raghunath Rane played an important role in developing Juhu back in time. The fisherfolk of the Mora Gaon Koliwada consider the Rane family or Raghunath Rane as a prominent figure in the history of Juhu. It was in 1895 when Rane built a stepwell called ‘Brahmakunda'  which was supposed to be a source of water supply for the village.  

This stepwell is located right behind the Mukteshwar Temple in Juhu, which is nearly 400 years old. During the construction of the Brahmakunda, Rane found a sculpture of Gajalakshimi, which is now worshipped as Shitladevi, near the tank. He also found another image of a Goddess at Juhu Beach and built a temple near the stepwell. The fisherfolk of Juhu Mora began worshipping it as ‘Tungari Pathari Jhakmata'. Both these temples are located right by the Brahmakunda.

The Bramhakunda is located right opposite the Iskcon Temple in Juhu. Though once it used to be accessible to all, the vicinity now is entirely fenced, and trespassing is strictly prohibited. This stepwell is 10x12 feet and houses various aquatic species now. In 2018, it was found, this stepwell was home to 65 exotic turtles. The species of turtles found here, the Red-Eared Slider Turtles, are native to the USA and Mexico. However, it remains unclear how they made it to this stepwell in Juhu.

As per the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), this species of turtle is commonly illegally traded in the world. Even though the water quality has severely deteriorated over the years, never once has this stepwell dried up. Along with the turtles, the stepwell is also home to catfish. 

So the next time you visit Juhu, don’t forget to check out this stepwell, which is living proof of Juhu’s rich history!