Commonwealth Games: Queen's Baton reaches Srinagar

The Queen's Baton Relay for the 2010 Commonwealth Games (CWG) reached Srinagar on Tuesday.

The Queen's Baton was taken to the famous Nishat Gardens where sportspersons of the Kashmir valley were present in large numbers.

" We are carrying a message of peace and harmony. After all, sporting activities have no borders, no religion, and no nationality. Its just pure...promoting tolerance, camaraderie and accommodation. That's the message we are carrying," said Lieutenant General (retired) Raj Khadyan, head of the Queens Baton Relay Run, in India.

The sportspersons in Kashmir were happy, and said this baton was a sign of peace.It's not only about the Commonwealth...this is about sports. So, I think, Jammu and Kashmir is very lucky they are witnessing this rally," said Ishfaq Ahmad, a football player.

The baton will cover most states and union territories, travelling a distance of over 20,000 km, before finally reaching New Delhi on September 30.

The Queen's Baton relay is a torch race symbolising the unity and shared ideals of the Commonwealth of nations. It carries a message from the head of the Commonwealth of Nations, currently Queen Elizabeth II of the UK.

The baton has the ability to capture images and sound as it travels throughout the nations of the Commonwealth. With Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, it can be tracked through exact location.