These images from the University of Southern California's digital library, made available to the public, were taken by photographers Clain & Paul studio in Chennai 90 years ago. They capture daily life in Kerala.

Located on the Malabar coast, Kerala has India's highest literacy rate and produces 97% of its black pepper


Coconut store



A group of Nair ladies



A man ploughing the fields



A Brahmin family



Tali temple, Calicut



Mills alongside a railway line



Theyyam 1901


See the rest of the photographs here.