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Gods and Goddesses have been mentioned in many areas in India as well as many articles written by scholar of hinduism.
But does Hinduism have a concept similar to angels - not the Gods but lesser heavenly beings that are messengers of the Gods?
This is not about explicitly Judeo-Christian angels like Gabriel, but rather the concept behind angels.
There are also Gandharvas, Kinnaras, and other subtle beings mentioned in the Vedic literatures, which can likened to the Christian idea of angels. It really depends on what your perspective of "angels". If you're thinking of subtle beings flying in the sky with heavenly voices, those are Gandharvas. If you're implying beings with higher power who influence the universe and who have God-like powers, those are the demigods.
Hinduism is filled with references to middle beings, i.e. beings which are neither Gods nor Humans. Some of these creatures are --
and many other celestial beings. All of these mentioned are sometimes benevolent sometimes malicious. Notable are Yakshinis, which are generally regarded as malicious in Keralite traditions.
These are not Angels, per se as per Christian Traditions, but can be considered to be super-humans in terms of their abilities.
I have serious issues about the concept of demi-gods, it's a concept introduced by ISKCON and I haven't seen or heard about it apart from ISKCON books and Avengers (the comic series). The Hindu name for those is Deva and the word, 'Demigod' doesn't do justice to the word.
After OP clarified the question to imply that Angels mean 'messenger of God'
No, there aren't any messenger of God in Hinduism.
A lot of non-Hindu resources tend to equate Devas to Angels, but I feel that's inaccurate because even though they became more subservient to whoever the One God was in different traditions, they are still deities.
Indian mythological figures corresponding to the angelic idea of 'beautiful sky-dwelling / possibly winged heavenly messengers' would probably be Apsaras and Gandharvas. Gandharvas are the (male) court musicians of the Heavenly Court of Indra and Apsaras are the (female) court dancers, with Gandharvas and Apsaras being spouses.
Unlike angels they are not really entities to be looked to for intervention / protection etc. They're pretty much just minor heavenly beings who serve Indra. Apsaras are associated with arts, quite similar to the Muses of Greek tradition but also often portrayed as sexual beings sent by Indra to seduce and distract ascetics. Gandharvas in addition to their musical duties, also serve the 'warlike Hosts of Heaven' function of the Judeo-Christian angels.
Both Christian Bible and Hindu Vedas refer to the celestial heavens. Christianity is heavily influenced by Hinduism. They are sister religions. Although Hinduism influenced many religions we have today especially Buddhism.
In Hinduism there was a asura (demon) that went to village doors posing as a Goddess (immortal female being) that made itself to appear very beautiful like a goddess would be. However celestial beings manifested themselves much like the angels or celestial beings the bible appeared to many of its own protagonists. And these celestial beings warned the village that beauty is not the only characteristic of a god or goddess, but must look beyond only beauty as being the sole quality of immortality. The celestial heavens and celestial beings are not the same as the immaterial beings of the immeasurable realm (The realm of No beginning no middle and no end) where immortal beings dwell.
The kalki purana states that people would worship demigods as the Gods. That people would worship demigods as Gods because they displayed minor mystical power to men. That Kalki avatar would come to put a end to this confusion. And by doing so would also reduce natural disasters as well.
The Hindu veda refers to the demigods as saints. Angels manifest as saints in the physical sometimes. The saints and the angels/celestial beings/light beings were meant to sustain the universe through sacrifice. That at a certain point that the saints would be no match for the overwhelming power of the Kali Yuga (age of untruth/dark ages), that the Gods would have to manifest themselves from the realm immeasurable.
Vishnu Purana states that a man must find purity through great suffering and austerity. While a woman who is naturally pure only needs to obey their husband. And that by doing so a woman would be able to reach the celestial heavens and become an deva/angel/celestial being which is one of the lesser heavens. There in these heavens they can continue to refine themselves and potentially attain the immeasurable heavens and become a god or immortal.
So there is a difference between celestial being/deva/angel in relation to a God and Goddess just as Christians believe there is a difference between Jesus and the angels. Although evidence would suggest that Jesus was a saint of the celestial realm hailing from the Pleiades or Andromeda System.
