The 'garden of lions' is the closest thing Gujranwala has to a civic park: a walled enclosure of trees, paths and a 19th-century baradari pavilion in the middle of the old city. It is best known for the akharas — traditional Punjabi wrestling pits — that still operate on the grounds. Matches at weekends draw substantial crowds, and morning training is open to watch.
The garden is named for the lions Maharaja Ranjit Singh kept here in the early 19th century. Today it is a busy public space — joggers in the morning, families and food vendors in the late afternoon.