The old Ralong Monastery is the First Kagyud monastery built in 1730 A.D by Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal under the guidance of the 12th Karmapa Changchub Dorjee.
The story of the monastery begins when chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal wandered Tibet on a pilgrimage. On travelling across Tibet dressed up as a ordinary man the chogyal finally arrived Tshurphu monastery where the 12th karmapa Changchub Dorjee resided. The 12th Karmapa paid special hospitality and on seeing this Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal wish to built up one monastery in the name of karmapa at Bayul Dre Mo Jong (Sikkim) and requested Karmapa to predict on which place and direction to built up the monastery.
After a month or so Karmapa send his close accociate to visit Bayul Dre Mo Jong (Sikkim) along with the prediction where the monastery to builtup. Karmapa had told his close associate to reach Drakar Tashiding , on reaching Tashiding he was told to face East , where his left hand would point towards Kangchenzenga (Kanchajunga), right hand towards a village and on the front there shall be a small stream which is Manjushri (Zampeyang Ryaldi) which todays known by Jarrong Khola and on the upright there shall be a hill which looks like a big elephant sleeping which today is known by Maenam hill.
As per the direction of Karmapa, the close associate of Karmapa start moving towards the eaxt from Tashiding, it was predicted by Karmapa that on the way you will find an animal. The monks on his way found one goat, as soon as the goat saw the monk, the goat rose high and left, so is the name of Ralong originated (Ra-Goat, Long- Stand). This was the place where the 12th Karmapa had predicted to built the Monastery.
The newly built monastery was consecrated by the 12th Karmapa from Tshrupu Monastery in a grand manner and it is believed that the colourful rainbow arched the monastery with grains of barley showing from the sky as blessing on the new monastery.
Later the monastery was rebuilt and this time too Karmapa in the form of vulture flew from Tshrupu Monastery revolving three time around the monastery showed grains of barley showing from the sky as blessing on the new monastery.
Later in the year 2009, the local folks with the trapas of the monastery unanimously handed over the monastery affairs to H.E.Sangter Tulku Rimpoche.