13: Good for Greece, India

The biggest sporting extravaganza begins in Athens today. But wait! It''s Friday the 13th... an unlucky day in much of Western Europe, North America and Australia.
Many people avoid travel and signing contracts on this day. Floors in tall buildings often skip from 12 to 14. And while the superstition is believed to be fading, it nonetheless has deep roots in both Christian and pagan culture.But why would the 28th edition of the Olympic Games begin on this date?
The number 13 on its own is not an unlucky number in Greek culture. Instead, it''s considered to be lucky. Some areas in Greece say that the number 13 represents the 12 apostles and Christ with Christ being the 13th member. Greece won 13 medals four years ago at the Sydney Olympics -- their best showing ever!
Like the Greeks many who do not believe. The ancient Mayans worshipped "13 gods of the upper world." The Aztecs climbed 13 steps to their sacred places. Buddhists pay homage to 13 Buddhas. The orthodox Jewish prayer book holds the "Thirteen Principles of Faith."
Former Indian hockey team captain Balbir Singh (Sr) was sporting No. 13 on his jersey much to the amusement of Europeans. "Thirteen in north Indian languages is pronounced as tera, which is also a form of addressing God," he used to say. Under his time, India won three gold medals in Olympics (1948,''52 and ''56) and he rightly named his autobiography The Golden Hattrick.
But the most amusing part of Balbir Singh was that he was always associated with the number 13. His house was #1534, office #562, private car #3163 and office car #2902, all add up individually to make 13.
At Helsinki (1952 Olympics), the van that took Indians to the stadium for their first match had a number plate that added up to 13. In the entire tournament, India scored 13 goals and Balbir got nine of those -- highest tally in a single Olympic outing.
Certainly for some the term ‘triskaidekaphobia,'' the fear of number 13, may just be a tongue twister.