The district of Uttar Dinajpur came into being after the bifurcation of West Dinajpur district in 1992. Raiganj, a city and municipality on the bank of the Kulik River, is the district headquarter. Raiganj Wildlife Sanctuary, the second largest bird sanctuary in Asia, is the primary attraction of the area.
Under the RCCH initiative, this district is a hub of Bamboo, Dhokra & Pottery crafts and the folk drama form of Khon. The district houses 113 Basketry artists, 1468 Dhokra weavers, 39 sholacraft artists, 65 Wooden Mask makers, 325 pottery craftspersons, 29 Khon artists and 26 Mukha dancers.
