Jali Stole

Jali is the term for a perforated lattice window screen. Widely used in ancient Indian architecture, jalis are most commonly carved out of stone, using intricate geometrical patterns. Windows with jalis served two purposes, one being aesthetically beautiful and the other more practical in nature; providing natural air conditioning--air gets cooler as it expands. When summer winds from the desert air threatened to overheat a building, the jali which invites natural air flow, cooled the building's interiors. I wanted to create an intricate design that also kept the skin cool in summer. My stole was thereby inspired by the use of jalis in numerous ancient Indian palaces that I encountered when I visited the Indian desert state of Rajasthan. These photos were taken at the Humanyun Tomb (New Delhi) which was a precursor to the Taj Mahal in Agra, India.