DJ Sharad pressed a headphone against his ear as his expert fingers grazed the turntables. Sukhwant Garcha stood a few feet ahead, thumping his authentic Dhol drum in rhythm with the absorbing beats.

North Indian-inspired tunes blasted for about 400 dancing students who attended Friday night's Bhangra Fusion, sponsored by the Punjabi Student Organization and Late Night Penn State.

"We basically fuse together the highly energetic music from North India with modern day hip-hop and R&B," Punjabi Student Organization President Garcha (senior-industrial engineering) said.

Garcha said Bhangra music is produced by a unique assortment of instruments.

"The Dhol is a drum that produces most of the music you hear in North India," Garcha said. "The drumming is then paired with synthesized music -- more modern beats."

Bhangra Fusion marked the first time New York's DJ Sharad mixed at Penn State. "We go all over the country, ... all over the world, actually. It's now getting recognized and the sound has a lot of commercial appeal," DJ Sharad said of the Bhangra-inspired beats.

Garcha said the intent of Bhangra Fusion was to showcase North Indian music and culture to students in an entertaining manner.

"It's easy to hand out pamphlets and reading material, but [students] would get bored," Garcha said. "With this party atmosphere, it will spark their interest."

For many students, the event generated an interest as they dropped by for a unique musical experience.

"I have several Indian friends and [came] just to get involved with their culture," Andrea Roeder (senior-journalism) said.

"Plus I hear the music is good," she added.

Chris Rhodes (junior-crime, law and justice) said he and his friends did not have plans to attend Bhangra Fusion.

"We heard music and thought, 'What's this?' " he said. "There was nothing else to do."

After listening to the music for a few minutes, Rhodes said it sounded similar to conventional dance music.

Garcha said North Indian music is becoming mainstream in America, as artists such as Jay-Z and Britney Spears integrate Bhangra beats into their songs.

"A lot of songs coming out have Indian music in them," he said. "When Jay-Z jumped in with [the song "Beware" featuring] Panjabi MC, it really helped to expose the culture."

Other students attended the event to enjoy the music that has become part of their heritage.

"I grew up on [Bhangra music]," Sanjay Rao (graduate student-business) said. "It has a special place in my heart."

Anjuley Patel (junior-biology) and Rucha Kale (junior-chemical engineering) came adorned in authentic North Indian clothes, including sequined scarves and dresses.

"We're wearing Punjabi dresses," Patel said. "They're traditional North Indian party outfits."

Garcha said Bhangra Fusion was a success, and he was impressed with the turnout. "People were leaving not because they were bored, but because they were tired from dancing," he said.

Rao said he was pleased with the presence of different cultural groups at the event. "This international integration is bringing different ethic groups together," he said. "Music doesn't have a language."