They could not have chosen a worse time to start promoting a party. After Sept. 11, it seemed, house music, dancing and celebrating was the furthest from most people’s priority. On top of it all, their party — one designed for South Asians, many of them Muslim, was eyed by many with suspicion since American propaganda targeted people of Middle Eastern or South Asian backgrounds. Despite initial apprehension and cursory

Subcultures and the subcontinent: That’s the intersection where Ashu Rai lives and thrives. The Indian-born, California-bred party promoter and DJ has been a lightning rod for a cultural scene that might, at first, seem thoroughly under the radar – a niche within a niche within a niche. Yet, it’s becoming one of those rare happenings whose appeal reaches beyond a core audience and becomes something of a sensation. As one