Gandharva

It is also a term for skilled singers in Indian classical music. In Buddhism, this term also refers to a being in the intermediate state (between death and rebirth).

In Hinduism

In Hinduism, the gandharvas (Sanskrit: गन्धर्व, romanized: gandharva) are a class of minor deities who serve as divine musicians in Hindu mythology.

The term gandharva is present in Vedic sources (including in the Rigveda) as a singular deity. According to Oberlies, "In mandala I, IX and X the gandharva is presented as a celestial being (dwelling near the Sun / in the heavenly waters) which watches over the Soma (apparently) for the benefit of the gods and the sacrificers." The gandharva also "receives the Soma from the ‘Daughter of the Sun' to put it into the Soma plant (RV 9.113.3), i.e., to bring it to this world." The gandharva also brings other things from the beyond, including humans (RV 10.10.4) and the horse (RV 1.163.2). As such, the function of the gandharva is "to escort things from ‘outside' into this world thereby divesting them of their (potential) dangerous nature." Later, the figure also came to be associated with fertility and virility.

The Atharvaveda mentions 6,333 gandharvas. They are generally the husbands of apsaras. They are described as handsome beings who wear fragrant attire and are passionate about women. Some are part animal, usually a bird or horse. They have exceptional musical skills. They guard the sacred Soma drink, and play beautiful music for the devas in their palaces. Gandharvas usually live in Svarga and serve at Indra's court, though they also have their own realm, called the Gandharvaloka. Female gandharvas are called gandharvis.

In Hindu law, a gandharva marriage is one contracted by mutual consent and without formal rituals.

Gandharvas are mentioned extensively in the epic Mahabharata as associated with the devas (as dancers and singers) and with the yakshas, as formidable warriors. They are mentioned as spread across various territories.

Some of the most prominent gandharvas include Tumburu, Visvavasu (who was the father of Pramadvara), Chitrangada (who killed Chitrangada, the son of Shantanu and Satyavati), Chitrasena (with whom the Kauravas and Pandavas fought in the Ghosha-yatra), Drumila (the biological father of Kamsa in some texts), and Chandavega (king of the Gandharvas who invaded the city of Purañjana).

Parentage

Various parentage is given for the gandharvas. They are called the creatures of Prajapati, of Brahma, of Kashyapa and Pradha, of the Munis, of Arishta, or of Vāc.

The Bhagavata Purana mentions that when Brahma, during creation, saw the activities of some sexually active asuras, he laughed. From his laughter were produced the gandharvas.

Worship

Hindu worship of Gandharvas is extremely rare across India and is mostly seen in the southern state of Kerala. In the state, Gandharvas are enshrined in temples, sometimes along with Yakshi and prayed to for fertility and good fortune. It believed that earning the ire of the Gandharvas will result in Gandharva dosha, a curse which will have adverse effect on those who are cursed, especially in terms of fertility and childbirth. In addition, Kerala also has the tradition of Gandharvanpattu, a type of theyyam and kalampattu ritual meant to invoke the Gandharvas.

Some temples in Kerala where Gandharvas are enshrined as deities are:

• Vazhapully Sree Rajarajeswari Temple
• Sree Aiswarya Gandharva Swami Temple, Urulikunnam, Chengalam
• Andoor Sree Gandharvaswami Temple, Elackad
• Sree Vaishnava Gandharva Swamy Temple, Champakkara
• Gandharva Swamy Temple, Kothala
• Gandharva Temple, Thalayazham
• Maniyassery Vaishnava Gandharva Swamy Temple, Maravanthuruthu
• Kunnamthanam Thuranganattu Aiswarya Gandharva Swamy Temple, Pathanamthitta
• Sree Yakshi-Gandharva Swamy Temple, Paravanthuruthu, Kallara
• Kaduvinath Gandharva Temple, Bharanikkavu, Alappuzha
• Oorikattil Sree Gandharva Swamy Temple, Kottayam
• Mullethu Gandharva Swamy Temple, Chandiroor, Alappuzha
• Marthandamparambu Gandharva Temple, Pazhaveedu, Alappuzha
• Sree Ponnumpoomala Gandharva Temple, Parudur
• Vaikkathusseril Sree Gandharva Nagaraja Bhadrakali Temple, Kumarakom