In recent years, the jaali has quietly returned to centre stage in Indian architecture. Once associated largely with palaces, mosques, and heritage havelis, this perforated screen is now a defining feature of contemporary homes, offices, cultural institutions, and public buildings. Its renewed popularity is not driven by nostalgia alone, but by its remarkable relevance to modern design challenges.
At its core, the jaali is an architectural device perfected for the Indian climate. Long before air-conditioning and glass façades, traditional builders used stone and brick screens to regulate light, air, and temperature. Today, as architects search for climate-responsive and sustainable solutions, the jaali feels less like a historical reference and more like a practical design tool.
A Climate-Smart Legacy
The origins of the jaali can be traced across India’s architectural history. The intricate stone screens of the Sidi Saiyyed Mosque in Ahmedabad, the marble lattices of the Taj Mahal, and the ornate jaalis of Fatehpur Sikri are among the most celebrated examples. These structures demonstrate how perforated surfaces allowed daylight to filter softly into interiors while promoting cross-ventilation and maintaining privacy.
In Rajasthan’s desert architecture, jaalis played a crucial role in cooling buildings by breaking harsh sunlight and allowing hot air to escape. The Hawa Mahal in Jaipur, with its honeycomb-like façade, is perhaps the most iconic example. Designed to catch breezes and reduce heat, it shows how jaalis were early tools of passive cooling, long before sustainability became a design priority.
Relevance in Contemporary Architecture
Modern Indian architecture faces challenges strikingly similar to those of the past: rising temperatures, energy consumption, and the need for privacy in dense urban environments. Jaalis address these concerns elegantly. Architects today are reintroducing them as façades, screens, partitions, and shading devices, often reinterpreted through modern materials and fabrication techniques.
In cities like Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Bengaluru, jaalis are being used to soften glass-heavy buildings, reduce heat gain, and cut dependence on artificial cooling. Unlike solid walls, they allow buildings to breathe, creating interiors that feel cooler and more comfortable. This makes them especially appealing in residential projects, schools, museums, and workplaces seeking energy efficiency without sacrificing aesthetics.
Light, Shadow, and Spatial Drama
Beyond performance, jaalis offer a visual richness that few architectural elements can match. The play of light and shadow created by perforated screens adds depth and movement to spaces throughout the day. As sunlight shifts, interiors transform subtly, creating a living architecture that responds to time and season.
Contemporary architects often use jaalis as focal points rather than purely functional elements. In modern homes, laser-cut metal jaalis act as privacy screens for balconies or staircases. In offices and cultural buildings, concrete or terracotta jaalis define façades, creating a strong visual identity rooted in Indian design language.
Privacy Without Isolation
In dense urban settings, privacy is a growing concern. Jaalis offer a nuanced solution. Unlike solid walls or tinted glass, they allow visual connection without exposure. This is one reason they are popular in homes, where they screen windows, courtyards, and terraces while maintaining airflow and daylight.
Historically, jaalis also played a social role. In Mughal and Rajput architecture, they allowed women to observe public life without being seen. While social contexts have changed, the architectural value of controlled visibility remains relevant, particularly in compact city homes.
Materials and Modern Interpretations
Traditionally carved from sandstone, marble, or limestone, jaalis today appear in a wide range of materials. Architects experiment with precast concrete, terracotta blocks, metal sheets, wood, and even glass. Digital design and CNC cutting have expanded possibilities, allowing intricate patterns to be produced efficiently and at scale.
This material flexibility makes jaalis adaptable to both luxury projects and affordable housing. They can be bold or subtle, decorative or minimal, traditional or contemporary. The underlying principle remains the same, but the expression evolves with context.
Cultural Identity in a Globalised World
Another reason for the jaali’s resurgence lies in the search for architectural identity. As Indian cities become increasingly global in appearance, architects are keen to root their designs in local traditions. Jaalis offer a way to reference history without imitation. They allow buildings to feel distinctly Indian while remaining contemporary.
Institutions such as museums, university campuses, and public buildings increasingly use jaalis to signal cultural continuity. The element bridges past and present, offering familiarity without nostalgia and innovation without erasure.
More Than Ornament
What distinguishes the jaali from many decorative trends is its functional intelligence. It is not applied ornament but performance-driven design. In an era focused on sustainability, reduced energy consumption, and climate sensitivity, this distinction matters.
The jaali’s enduring appeal lies in its quiet efficiency. It solves multiple problems at once: light control, ventilation, privacy, and aesthetics. That versatility explains why it has survived centuries and continues to inspire architects today.
As Indian architecture looks ahead, the jaali stands as proof that some of the smartest solutions are already part of the country’s architectural vocabulary. Reimagined through modern materials and technology, it remains as relevant now as it was in stone-carved palaces centuries ago.
