A sabhā or sabhaa in Ancient India was an assembly, congregation, or council.
In Epic Sanskrit, the term refers also to an assembly hall or council-chamber, and to a hostel, eating-house, or gambling-house.
[1] Monier-Williams compares the word to Old English sibb "clan" (Old High German sippa), in Modern English surviving in the term gossip (from god-sib).
A sabhā in south India, particularly in Tamil Nadu, popularly refers to a body or organization involved in the promotion of fine arts such as Carnatic music, Bharatanatyam, Drama among numerous other arts.
These Sabhas are concentrated mostly in and around Mylapore in Chennai and are instrumental in ensuring that connoisseurs (known as Rasikaas) from all parts of the world are treated with variety during the Music and Dance Season of Maargazhi (December / January mostly).