Khala Goda Statue in Mumbai

The Kala Ghoda (Black Horse) statue is a 16.7-foot-tall bronze statue in Mumbai, India, and a prominent relic of the country’s colonial era. The equestrian statue of King Edward VII became contentious during a period of rising nationalistic sentiments opposing symbols of imperial power in newly independent India. It was moved to the Byculla zoo in 1965. Another structure, titled the ‘Spirit of Kala Ghoda,’ depicting a black, riderless horse, was reinstalled in the area in 2017. The case study illustrates India’s ambivalent relationship with its colonial past, reframing the popular narrative in public spaces while retaining the contested structure.