Available: At most marts, bazaars, sports shops in Mumbai. (I bought mine for Rs 275 at a D'Mart outlet in the suburb of Kandivli East, while most bazaars and sports shops seem to mark it at Rs 350).

Star rating: 2

Shred factor: It shreds, depending on individual usage. Some people tend to scrape their toe nails against the mat in sun salutes. This mat responds to such abuse by shredding readily. It is cushiony.

Steady or slippery: Steady in basic poses, but can shift and move in advanced poses and flows.

Luxury: Okay.

Level of practice: Beginners.

This is better than a dhurrie, for sure. These mats also come in the most pretty colours, not just the primary ones, but also different pastel shades, making them tempting buys. I also own a few with pretty prints -- foot prints or bamboo leaves imprinted on them.

This mat is just right for a beginner's level of practice. It has a cushiony texture which makes it easy for certain poses like the headstand. However, it tends to slip so much that most people push it away while trying the difficult variations (like the wheel or standing poses like prasarita padottansana, where the legs are spread out far and must have a firm grip before you bend forward).

It can also be difficult to do fast rounds of the sun salute on this mat, since the mat slips about quite a bit in poses like the mountain. If you start sweating, don't expect any stickiness factor to hold you in place. I find the mat is fine for certain advanced variations like the scorpion though. So, if money is a constraint then this mat is fine as a stop-gap arrangement.

Also read: Yogic therapy for diabetes

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