CARVED IN LIGHT : THE ELEGANCE OF JAALI PATTERN
ARCHITECTURE MEANING ,ORIGIN & DEVELOPMENT
The word jali means an iron net. The screen itself with its net like finish is called jalidar. From their origins in the gujarat sultanate to their development in mughal architecture, jaali patterns inspire modern architects with their endless appeal. With age it became a screen through which high-born or imperial women, who were expected to endure in purdah. We can still study some form of jharokha in the palaces of Rajasthan. These jaalis are now primarily installed in facades to modify all-encompassing heat. As people are moving towards an open layout concept, these jaalis are normally used as a partition screen between spaces to distribute the functionalities of the room.
THE MAKERS
The Mughal period was an era of great artistic and architectural importance that left a lasting impression in south asia the mughal emperors were patrons of art and architecture for instance Humayun brought two Persian painters, Mir Sayyid Ali and Abdus Samad, to India in the mid-16th century to recreate art which he saw in Persia.
CHARACTERISTICS OF JAALI PATTERN
jaali pattern in Qutub complex
source: personal visit
The pierced screens have been widely seen in the architecture of Mughals in Delhi and around the globe since memorials. They are not exclusive to India, they are seen around wherever there are monuments of islamic importance. The jali patterns are aesthetically designed to give a magnificent architectural wonder. A jaali isn’t a mere ornamental accessory added to a structure to make it aesthetically pleasing, one of the researchers on this architectural aspect mentions in ‘Reflection of India’ that ‘by breaking a window’s total aperture into tiny openings the jali acts as an overhang. If the openings are the same size as the material thickness it acts as a louver, protective of glare and direct sunlight.
CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
The jaali design carries with them both cultural as well as religious significance. The intricate patterns represent the spiritual protection, the infinite nature of Allah and paradise. Beyond their religious significance the jaali design has widely influenced other forms of art and architecture such as that of textiles and crafts as well. The intricate stone jaalis of the Jama Masjid in Delhi, for example, blend mughal and regional design elements, creating a serene and spiritual atmosphere within the mosque.
TYPES OF JAALIS DURING MUGHAL PERIOD
1.Calligraphic jaali: where Arabic script was elaborately carved into the screens. These jaalis repeatedly featured quranic verses, intermingling spiritual devotion with artistic expression.
2.Floral jaali: the floral motifs reached its zenith. Jaali featuring lilies, tulips, and other flowers became prominent reflecting Jahangir’s love for nature. These naturalistic design subdued the stiff geometry of the earlier styles, creating a more inbuilt and fluid aesthetic.
3.Perforated jaali: meta screens that echo the patterns of traditional jaali while providing lastingness and give out visual aesthetics.
MODERN USE OF JAALI PATTERNS
floral jaali pattern
source: google
In contemporary times growing focus on sustainability has led the designers to recreate the design as a cooling method . These kinds of styles can both manage air flow with ventilation as well as manage the natural sunlight. The hawa mahal is an exquisite example of how beautifully design can be altered and put to fresh use, and give rise to sustainable practices in devising modern art and architecture.
The Jaali stitch in chikan embellishment is a modern speciality of this workmanship. This stitch gives an execution of an open mesh or net created. In this stitch the thread is never drawn through the textile, ensuring that the back portion of the garment looks as impeccable as the front. The work of producing a jaali onto the cloth is done cautiously by pushing warps and wefts away by the needle without cutting or drawing of the thread to give the cloth the appearance of a net. This process makes holes or ‘Jaali’ with an accustomed circumference and likewise ensures that the ability of the fabric is not compromised.
jaali pattern on chickan embroidery
source – ada chicken
modern architecture using jaali pattern
source: google
CONCLUSION
After the rule of Shah Jahan, the artwork of jali declined; there are no spectacular examples from the time of Aurangzeb. It did not altogether vanish but found some patronage at places in Rajasthan like Jaipur and Jodhpur. The pierced latticework of the early mughal period is a suitable source for the study of the development of mughal vocabulary. Gradually advancement and progress in design and technique of perforated screens exhibit how the mughal artisans took this usually unnoticed functional form to an art par excellence. The continued evolution of jaali pattern from Gujarat sultanate to the contemporary architecture highlights their enduring appeal and significance in the architectural world.
