Artist Showcase - Photographer Jeff Clay

​Although its inaugural year was 2012, the “Utah Travels” photography exhibit has been curated by members of the Wasatch Camera Club since 2016.  The biennial show has been a crowd favorite, showcasing Utahns and their travels through photography, at both professional and hobbyist skill levels.  Photographer Jeff Clay shares with us his recent visit to India in today’s “Artist Showcase”.  

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With over a billion people, thousands of distinct and unique cultures, 122 major languages and almost another 1,600 “minor” languages, and the birthplace of four of the world's major religions, India is the most diverse country I have traveled to. The land is a feast for the senses and the mind. ​

Taj Mahal:
We have all seen photos of arguably one of the most beautiful buildings in the world: the Taj Mahal. It was built as a mausoleum and memorial in the mid 1600’s by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth. Part of the building is a mosque and here I photographed four men after they finished their prayers. Clearly caught in mid-conversation, I have often wondered what they were discussing so intently. A philosophical point, I prefer, but it could have just as easily been the price of wheat.

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​Varanasi:
Sprawled along the east bank of the sacred Ganges River, and long considered one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world, Varanasi  is a fascinating sensory experience. Jam-packed medieval alleys offering a dizzying array of foods and spices, the burning ghats where every Hindu wants to be cremated, masses of sadhus — Hindu ascetic holy men — in various states of colorful dress or perhaps, dressed very little, and the daily dusk ceremony of Ganga Aarti are all must-sees. Hindu priests perform this ritual to the hypnotic sounds of devotional music and this, coupled with the heavy scent of incense, can easily transport one back to an imagined simpler time.

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Amritsar:
If Amritsar is Rome to the Sikhs, then the Golden Temple is the Vatican. And though Sikhism is a relatively new religion — originating sometime in the 15th century — the history of the city dates back to the early days of Buddhism.  The temple is formally known as Harmandir Sahib, meaning "abode of God,” and is the pilgrimage destination for every Sikh. The large ablution pool provides a center piece for not only cleansing oneself but also for socializing as these two colorfully dressed friends are doing. With the sun about to rise, I was fortunate to capture this beautiful scene.

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