Elphinstone College, Kala Ghoda & Horse Trams Bombay, 1895 Postcard
A 1900 postcard with a view of Elphinstone College, Kala Ghoda Statue, and Horse Trams in Bombay (Mumbai). The Sassoon Library is partially visible on the right. The street shown was the Esplanade Road now known as Mahatma Gandhi Road. The college was named after Mountstuart Elphinstone, the governor of Bombay from 1819 to 1827.
Elphinstone is recognized for opening several educational institutions primarily for Indians, despite Britain’s opposition to this account. Apart from being an able administrator, he was also an acclaimed author of books on India and Afghanistan. The Kala Ghoda equestrian statue originally referred to the black horse with King George VII astride.
During the British era, the statue that is seen in the image was exactly what was standing on this location. The equestrian statue of King Edward VII was then removed in 1965. Another equestrian statue was placed in the same location minus the rider in 2017. However, the precinct is still known as Kala Ghoda to this day in South Bombay.
The David Sassoon Library was built by Albert Sassoon in 1870 in honour of his father David Sassoon. The Sassoons were the greatest industrialists in Western India during the British Era days. Horse-drawn trams existed till 1907, after that the tramway was electrified and successfully operated till 1964. Click on the image for better view.
Did you know – that Elphinstone built the first bungalow in Malabar Hill during his time in Bombay, and following his example, many prominent people took up residence here. It soon became a fashionable locality, and remains so to the present.
Past posts – 1964 M. Suriyamoorthy Charcoal Art Abstract (#11)., British Family At Dal Lake Kashmir, 1895 Photo., Aerial Views Of New Delhi & Old Delhi, 1946 Print., Test Run of The Nilgiri Mountain Railway Train, 1899 Photo.
