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The painted main hall of Ralang Monastery with golden roofs and a tall pillar in front on a red and white paved courtyard under a blue sky
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Photo: Joydeep · CC BY-SA 4.0
temple24 min from Ravangla

Ralang Monastery, Ravangla — a large Kagyu monastery of thangkas

Ralang Monastery near Ravangla, South Sikkim: the Kagyu monastery rebuilt in 1995, its thangkas, the older Ralang Gompa beside it and the Pang Lhabsol festival.

What it is

Ralang Monastery, also called Ralong Palchen Choling, is a Kagyu monastery in southern Sikkim, a Tibetan Buddhist school, near Ravangla. Wikipedia says the old monastery was rebuilt between 1975 and 1981. In 1995 the 12th Gyaltsab Rinpoche raised the new Palchen Choeling institute, which keeps Tibetan architecture. The older Ralang Gompa, the Karma Rabtenling monastery, stands close to its west.

Photos: Prof Ranga Sai (CC0) · Prof Ranga Sai (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

Inside

Wikipedia says it holds a large store of paintings and thangkas, which are scroll paintings. The photographs on Commons show a tall painted hall with a courtyard, and gilded halls inside.

The festivals

Ralang hosts the Pang Lhabsol, a festival that worships Mount Kangchenjunga, usually in September, and the Kagyed, which ends in early December. Both follow the Tibetan calendar and move from year to year.

Getting there

Wikipedia gives six kilometres from Ravangla, while our routing to the monastery's map point gives a longer road distance and the time in the quick facts; the two sources differ and we cannot tell which monastery building each means. We have no verified opening hours or fee.

Combine it with

The Buddha Park of Ravangla is the other major stop, and the one-day plan takes both. Read things to do in Ravangla and how to reach Ravangla.

Plans that include this

All 1 plans that stop here →
The seated golden and dark-blue Buddha statue on a stepped, richly painted base against a forested hillside and a cloudy sky
One day in Ravangla — the Buddha Park, Ralang Monastery and the town with its views
Day plan · First visit · Temples & heritage
A one-day Ravangla plan: the 130-foot Buddha at the Buddha Park, Ralang Monastery, and the town and Tibetan settlement with views of Kanchenjunga. Free to copy.
Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →

Nearby places

All of Ravangla →
Buddha Park of Ravangla — the 130-foot Buddha above South Sikkim
Buddha Park of Ravangla — the 130-foot Buddha above South Sikkim
monument · 3.3 km away
Ravangla town — the pass town with a Tibetan settlement and mountain views
Ravangla town — the pass town with a Tibetan settlement and mountain views
town · 3.9 km away
Tashiding Monastery — the holiest hilltop monastery in Sikkim
Tashiding Monastery — the holiest hilltop monastery in Sikkim
temple · 4.3 km away
Rabdentse Ruins, Pelling — the second capital of Sikkim's kings
Rabdentse Ruins, Pelling — the second capital of Sikkim's kings
ruins · 8.3 km away
Pemayangtse Monastery, Pelling — the old Nyingma seat on the ridge
Pemayangtse Monastery, Pelling — the old Nyingma seat on the ridge
temple · 8.5 km away

Nearby destinations

All destinations →
A long snow-covered Kanchenjunga ridge in blue morning light above dark forested hills with a few wisps of cloud
Pelling
9.9 km away · 3 itineraries · 8 places
The huge copper-coloured seated statue of Guru Padmasambhava on its painted base on Samdruptse hill under a grey sky
Namchi
18 km away · 2 itineraries · 3 places
Pastel-coloured buildings of Gangtok climbing a steep, forested hillside, seen from a viewpoint across the valley
Gangtok
28 km away · 5 itineraries · 11 places
Roofs and hotels of Darjeeling spreading down a steep ridge under distant blue mountain ranges and soft cloud
Darjeeling
33 km away · 8 itineraries · 13 places
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Questions people ask

What is Ralang Monastery?

A Kagyu monastery of Tibetan Buddhism in South Sikkim, also called Ralong Palchen Choling. Wikipedia says the new monastery was built in 1995 by the 12th Gyaltsab Rinpoche, keeps Tibetan architecture and holds a large store of paintings and thangkas. An older Ralang Gompa stands close to its west.

How far is Ralang Monastery from Ravangla?

Wikipedia says six kilometres. Our routing, to the monastery's point on the map, gives about 11 km and 24 minutes by road, so the two figures differ. Allow half an hour each way. We have no verified opening hours or entry rule, so ask in Ravangla before you set out.

What festival is held at Ralang?

Wikipedia says Ralang hosts Pang Lhabsol, a festival to worship Mount Kangchenjunga, usually in September, and the Kagyed, which ends in early December. Both follow the Tibetan calendar, so confirm the dates locally before you plan a visit around them.