Gandharvas are celestial singers and musicians and stories about them are found across the Indian subcontinent, and in Jain, Buddhist and Hindu lore and literature. They are often depicted as nature spirits who move through the air at will. They interact frequently with humans, especially beautiful women, and sometimes are messengers between the gods and humans.

Gandharvas often appear in the Mahabharata, and feature prominently in the stories of the Kathasaritsagara, the 11th century collection of tales by Somadeva.