Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Anglo-Ind.) fun; celebration.

1841		F.J. Bellew ‘Memoirs of a Griffin’ in Asiatic Jrnl & Mthly Register May 53: Station dull - no tumasha (fun), as in the old times, when we were first here. The other day, however, old Dickdar, our brigadier, gave a burra khanna (dinner).
1844		J.W. Kaye Peregrine Pultuney I 172: Every one in the ship was [...] talking about the tomasha in prospect.
1861		Times of India 16 July 2/3: The Queen's birthday went off here, as such affairs usually do, in Line parade, &c. The only thing I noticed about the tamasha was that there was no cheer on the occasion from the 3rd Dragoons.
1876		Times of India 28 Mar. 2/7: After the return of Sir Salar from England there will be a grand ‘tamasha’ [...] he will promenade through Golconda in state, a little matter which will cost. him a lakh or two of rupees.
1877		H. Hartigan Stray Leaves (1st ser.) 130: [T]he young gentleman who had caused the tumasha, had been chaffed about it.
1884		Times of India 30 July 6/5: [M]ost old Indians could explain that a ‘tom-tom’ and a town-crier in Madras can always collect 10,000 natives to witness any ‘tamasha’ In which the ‘Sahib logue’ take part, and for which there is nothing to pay.
1891		Civil & Milit. Gaz. (Lahore) 5 Feb. 5/4: [T]he marriage of His Highness the young Maharaja of Gwalior was celebrated at Gwalior with ;grand tamasha.
1896		Regiment 22 Aug. 318/1: [Sports day] is looked forward to by all [...] even the native followers hailing it in their simple way as the tumasha-din (play-day).
1906		Civil & Milit. Gaz. (Lahore) 12 May 5/1: [A]s he went along he saw crowds in the bazar red with holi and drunk with joy, ‘Surely this is the Hindu tamasha,’ said he.
1910		Civil & Milit. Gaz. (Lahore) 15 Oct. 6/1: A grand tamasha dsy was held at the Soldiers’ Furlough Home on the 11th, in aid of the funds of that institution.
2021		Guardian Sport 9 Mar. 35: India’s cricketing influence extends to sporting metaphor: IPL auction is ‘Indian cricket’s great TAMASHA’.