Architectural decoration in Indian architecture

Jali

Jali

A jali or jaali (jālī, meaning "net") is the term for a perforated stone or <a href="/en/Latticework" title="Latticework" class="wl">latticed</a> <a href="/en/Window_screen" title="Window screen" class="wl">screen</a>, usually with an ornamental pattern constructed through the use of <a href="/en/Calligraphy" title="Calligraphy" class="wl">calligraphy</a>, <a href="/en/Geometry" title="Geometry" class="wl">geometry</a> or natural patterns. This form of architectural decoration is common in <a href="/en/Indo-Islamic_architecture" title="Indo-Islamic architecture" class="wl">Indo-Islamic architecture</a> and more generally in <a href="/en/Indian_architecture" title="Indian architecture" class="mw-redirect wl">Indian architecture</a>.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTELerner1984156–157-1" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 1;">[1]</a> It is closely related to <a href="/en/Mashrabiya" title="Mashrabiya" class="wl">mashrabiya</a> in Islamic architecture.<a href="#cite_note-bbc-2" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 2;">[2]</a>

<div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none" about="#mwt1">Architectural decoration in Indian architecture</div>
<style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1033289096" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles mw:Transclusion">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}</style>



<figure class="mw-default-size wiki-thumb"><a href="/en/File:Jhali_of_Hawa_Mahal_Jaipur_details.jpg" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:Jhali_of_Hawa_Mahal_Jaipur_details.jpg"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/Jhali_of_Hawa_Mahal_Jaipur_details.jpg/220px-Jhali_of_Hawa_Mahal_Jaipur_details.jpg" decoding="async" data-file-width="1659" data-file-height="1244" data-file-type="bitmap" height="165" width="220" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/Jhali_of_Hawa_Mahal_Jaipur_details.jpg/330px-Jhali_of_Hawa_Mahal_Jaipur_details.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/Jhali_of_Hawa_Mahal_Jaipur_details.jpg/440px-Jhali_of_Hawa_Mahal_Jaipur_details.jpg 2x" alt="Jhali_of_Hawa_Mahal_Jaipur_details.jpg"></a><figcaption>Jali panels in <a href="/en/Rajput_architecture" title="Rajput architecture" class="wl">Rajput style</a>, <a href="/en/Hawa_Mahal" title="Hawa Mahal" class="wl">Hawa Mahal</a>, <a href="/en/Jaipur" title="Jaipur" class="wl">Jaipur</a></figcaption></figure>
<figure class="mw-default-size wiki-thumb"><a href="/en/File:Akbar_tomb_2.jpg" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:Akbar_tomb_2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Akbar_tomb_2.jpg/220px-Akbar_tomb_2.jpg" decoding="async" data-file-width="2973" data-file-height="4079" data-file-type="bitmap" height="302" width="220" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Akbar_tomb_2.jpg/330px-Akbar_tomb_2.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Akbar_tomb_2.jpg/440px-Akbar_tomb_2.jpg 2x" alt="Akbar_tomb_2.jpg"></a><figcaption>Jali screens in the <a href="/en/Tomb_of_Akbar_the_Great" title="Tomb of Akbar the Great" class="mw-redirect wl">tomb of Akbar the Great</a> near <a href="/en/Agra" title="Agra" class="wl">Agra</a>, <a href="/en/India" title="India" class="wl">India</a></figcaption></figure>

According to Yatin Pandya, the jali allows light and air while minimizing the sun and the rain, as well as providing cooling through <a href="/en/Passive_ventilation" title="Passive ventilation" class="wl">passive ventilation</a>.<a href="#cite_note-Pandya_2011-3" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 3;">[3]</a>&gt; The holes are often nearly of the same width or smaller than the thickness of the stone, thus providing structural strength. It has been observed that humid areas like <a href="/en/Kerala" title="Kerala" class="wl">Kerala</a> and <a href="/en/Konkan" title="Konkan" class="wl">Konkan</a> have larger holes with overall lower opacity than compared with the dry climate regions of <a href="/en/Gujarat" title="Gujarat" class="wl">Gujarat</a> and <a href="/en/Rajasthan" title="Rajasthan" class="wl">Rajasthan</a>.<a href="#cite_note-Pandya_2011-3" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 3;">[3]</a>

With the widespread use of glass in the late 19th century, and compactness of the residential areas in the modern India, jalis became less frequent for privacy and security matters.<a href="#cite_note-4" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 4;">[4]</a> In the 21st century, it has gained popularity again as a <a href="/en/Low-energy_building" title="Low-energy building" class="mw-redirect wl">low-energy building</a> solution for the environmental footprint of energy use by buildings.<a href="#cite_note-bbc-2" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 2;">[2]</a>

A jali or jaali 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. According to Yatin Pandya, the jali allows light and air while minimizing the sun and the rain, as well as providing cooling through passive ventilation. With the widespread use of glass in the late 19th century, and  compactness of the residential areas in the modern India, jalis became less frequent for privacy and security matters. 