Anyone came across a description/picture/piece of architecture (Sanskrit/Prakrit/Pali/Tibetan/Gujarati/Hindi) about tApasas, which are fasting monthly or so, namely in a uSTrika/uTTiya/uTTika.. (barrel??)
Some South Indian temple reliefs present a standig person, from knees upto his neck covered by something that appears to be a (burbon-)barrel. 
Why not? Wearing a barrel instead of cloth could signalize the vow of fasting.
Any suggestions? 
Mfg RHK
roheko@msn.com