Best Yoga Mats 2017 For Buyers A decade ago, I remember how my dad would wake up during the wee hours of morning, go to the patio upstairs, spread out his chataai— an Indian mat made of plastic straws—and practiced yoga in solitude. Although he seemed content with the spiritual experience of doing yoga exercises, he carried a smirky expression on his face most days. This was because the mat was good for exercises like Pranayama— where you simply sit in a particular position and perform breathing exercises—but when it came to performing Surya Namaskar , he found the mat to be slippery. I often suggested that he must be willing to spend money if he wanted a comfortable yoga mat. But looking back, I realize that there were no options available—things in the world of yoga were not as rosy as they are now. Yoga is an ancient practice, but the use of mats is a modern thing. Originally, yogis performed yoga on grass or hard earth. For firmness while doing yoga exercises, they sim