In the open courtyard at the rear of the temple, a granite Shivalinga is sheltered by a coiled seven-headed naga — a cobra rising over the linga with its hood spread protectively, all carved from a single piece of stone. It is the most photogenic of the temple's sculptures, set in the open air rather than in a closed shrine, with the morning light catching the polished granite.
Walk around the sculpture in the standard clockwise direction and look at the patterns carved into the underside of each cobra hood. The platform is wet most mornings — water from the nearby spring is poured over the linga as part of daily worship. It is a working temple, so behave accordingly.