The princely states of undivided India comprised little under half of the subcontinent, covering an area of over 700,000 square miles. Their territories extended 2,000 miles from the border of Afghanistan to Cape Comorin, the southern extremity of India. The 565 Indian States enjoyed varying degrees of autonomy depending on their size and importance.The Unforgettable Maharajas: One Hundred and Fifty Years of Photography (Roli Books) by Pramod Kapoor, E. Jaiwant Paul