Jali

This article is about the Indian architectural element. For West African jali poets, see Griot.
Jali at Ajitnath Jain Temple, 11th-century Gujarat
A jali is typically open, but this example of a 17th-century jali from the last Mughal period was owned by a wealthy merchant and probably placed with the external portal. Basically, the impression is friendly and inviting as the inside of the palace, but secure to outside world. The iris pattern at the top is a departure from the earlier geometry and indicates a Persian influence.

Jali panels in Rajput style, Hawa Mahal, Jaipur
Jali screens in the tomb of Akbar the Great near Agra, India

A jali or jaali (jālī, meaning "net") is the term for a perforated stone or latticed screen, usually with an ornamental pattern constructed through the use of calligraphy, geometry or natural patterns. This form of architectural decoration is common in Indo-Islamic architecture and more generally in Indian architecture.[1] It is closely related to mashrabiya in Islamic architecture.[2]

According to Yatin Pandya, the jali allows light and air in while minimizing the sun and the rain, as well as providing cooling through passive ventilation.[3] The holes are nearly the same width or smaller than the thickness of the stone, thus providing structural strength. It has been observed that humid areas like Kerala and Konkan have larger holes with overall lower opacity than compared with the dry climate regions of Gujarat and Rajasthan.[3]

Jalis were architectural elements and designed to interlock with repeated patterns. This detail shows the relative thickness and sandstone carving (late 17th-century Mughal origin).

With the widespread use of glass in the late 19th century, and compactness of the residential areas in modern India, jalis became less frequent for privacy and security matters.[4] In the 21st century, it has gained popularity again as a low-energy building solution for the environmental footprint of energy use by buildings.[2]

  1. ^ Lerner 1984, pp. 156–157.
  2. ^ a b Azmi, Feza Tabassum (20 September 2022). "How India's lattice buildings cool without air con". www.bbc.com.
  3. ^ a b Pandya, Yatin (16 October 2011). "Yatin Pandya on 'jaali' as a traditional element". DNA India. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  4. ^ Satyaprakash Varanashi (30 January 2011). "The multi-functional jaali". The Hindu. Retrieved 18 January 2016.