How to create a column with increasing numbers in h:dataTable?

Question

I need to make a table that would have a column with order numbers, starting from 1 and increasing by 1 for every row. I tried using JSTL for this but it seems it is being ignored (as it probably should). My code is below. I know I am supposed to use getRowIndex() with bound tables, by my table isn't bound to anything...
I could hold the number in the backing bean but that seems like a total overkill.
Is there a proper way to this in JSF? Could I maybe somehow reference this (meaning tha table itself) within the EL expression?
<c:set var="month" value="0" />
<h:dataTable value="#{loansManager.rates}" var="rate">
            <c:set var="month" value="${month+1}" />
     <h:column>
          <f:facet name="header">
               <h:outputText value="Month" />
          </f:facet>
          <c:out value="${month}" />
     </h:column>
     <h:column>
          <f:facet name="header">
               <h:outputText value="Rate" />
          </f:facet>
          <h:outputText value="#{rate}" />
     </h:column>
</h:dataTable>

Answer 1

Bind the datatable to the backing bean and use HtmlDataTable#getRowIndex().
You can find here an example: [http://balusc.blogspot.com/2006/06/using-datatables.html#AddRowNumbers].