Naipena Vehera

Lalith Samaraweera - Google

A carving of a cobra with seven heads gave its name “Naipena Vehera”, Cobra headed shrine. Naipena Vehera once was a complete Dravidian style shrine, built in the 10th-century by Chola invaders, and now remains of the rock pillars and brick foundations can be seen. There have been a number of bronze figurines unearthed from the shrine, and are kept in the Polonnaruwa museum.

The main shrine is dedicated to God Vishnu, the savior of both mortals and the immortals and a Rigvedic deity. It connects with the Parakramabahu statue which is also believed to be a statue of a sage named Agastya or Pulathisi who wrote the Rigveda, one of the four Vedas ancient books of wisdom.

Facing the main shrine there is another shrine dedicated to God Shiva, known as the destroyer. There are ruins of a Shiva Lingam, a representation of the potentially procreative phallus of god Shiva.

The other buildings to the north haven't revealed much of their purpose but are believed to be used for offerings and prayers.

The “Gedige” style shrine was built in bricks and there are more ruins of a broken stone inscription and rock door frames etc.