A jali is an architectural screen made from perforated stone, wood, or another material in Islamic buildings.
Jalis create patterned openings that admit light and air while providing privacy and visual separation. In South Asian Islamic architecture, craftsmen often carved them from sandstone or marble into geometric designs, vegetal forms, or calligraphic patterns. Their repeated openings can produce changing shadows across floors and walls.
The term is strongly associated with Mughal and Indo-Islamic architecture, although perforated screens have broader regional histories. A jali should not be confused with a mashrabiya, the projecting screened window or balcony especially associated with Arabic architecture. Nor is every decorative grille a jali: the term generally emphasizes a pierced or perforated screen rather than a simple metal barrier.