Patrick and Melanie: Early ISKCON History
BY: SUN STAFF
Mar 02, 2012 — CANADA (SUN) —
In the recent news story, "Dark Agents", reposted from The Villager, author Clayton Patterson mentions two individuals who were associated with the Hare Krishna movement in the early days, after Srila Prabhupada first arrived and was preaching from Tompkins Square Park and the Lower East Side.
One of these individuals was Patrick Geoffrois, who joined the movement and became one of the first devotees to distribute Srila Prabhupada's books in America, Demark, France, Russia, etc. The other individual was a woman named Melanie, who the author described as "an original American Krishna". According to the author, Patrick and Melanie both joined the movement, and spent many years together.
Melanie and Patrick eventually moved on, says Patterson, both becoming addicted to heroin. Patrick is described as having been well studied in the dark arts, to which the picture in Patterson's article attests. He was involved in the music scene, notably with the James Chance Band and co-musicians Jean-Michel Basquiat and Chris Stein of Blondie. According to Patterson, Patrick and Melanie were reportedly both infected with H.I.V.; Patrick died but Melanie lived on, eventually re-joining the Hare Krishnas.
We know that Patrick Geoffrois was still involved in ISKCON in 1976, because his name is mentioned in a letter written by Pusta Krishna (then) Swami (Paul Howard Dossick) on March 5, 1976, addressed to Shri Kulabidhusingh in Manipur.* In it, he mentions Geoffrois as one of several who would be traveling with Srila Prabhupada to Manipur. Geoffrois's passport is noted as being French. In the Patterson article, Patrick Geoffrois' mother was mentioned as a tarot card reader in Paris.
A comment posted in response to the original article on The Villager website asks if the author can confirm that Melanie is Melanie Nagel, whose bio is posted on Wiki: our own GBC, Malati dasi. Malati devi dasi is well known as one of the earliest devotees to join Srila Prabhupada. She traveled to England along with her then (presumably) husband, Shyamasundar das, where the two became acquainted with George Harrison.
Clayton Patterson's article indicates that Patrick Geoffrois' and Melanie were mates for a significant period of time. While it isn't clear from the article or known information about Malati, it seems possible that she resumed her relationship with Patrick after returning from England and leaving the movement.
Over the years, devotees recording ISKCON history have told various stories about Melanie/Malati's early pastimes on the New York Village scene, and some of these stories tell details similar to the ones given by Patterson in his recent Villager article. One such historical commentary was provided in 2008 by B. Radha-Govinda in her article, "How Would She Know?". This article was written in response to Malati's defense of Radhanath Swami, part of a discussion about Radhanath's alleged involvement in the murder of Sulocana das, and other goings-on at New Vrindaban. (There have been many related reports published in the Sun, from Tirtha's jailhouse confessions in 2006 to the more recent summary of evidence composed by Hrishikesh das.)
In her article, B. Radha-Govinda states that in 1987, Kirtanananda had sent her to collect money on the subways of New York City. There she happened to meet Malati, and rescued her from the dire circumstances of her addiction, bringing her back to the temple. This event appears to coincide with Patterson's statement about Melanie eventually returning to the Hare Krishna movement. Eleven short years later, Malati devi dasi became the first female member of ISKCON's Governing Body Commission.
During the intervening years between Malati's redemption from drug addiction and her rise to power as a GBC, several other notable events took place in ISKCON. It's interesting to consider these events in the context of the chronology related to Kirtanananda's life that was compiled by Hrishikesh das:
In 1987, B. Radha-Govinda rescued Malati from the streets of New York City
In 1987, Kirtanananda was excommunicated from ISKCON for his deviations
In 1988, the entire New Vrindaban community was expelled from ISKCON
In 1996, Kirtanananda was sentenced to 20 years in Federal Prison
In 1998, New Vrindaban was provisionally allowed to return to the ISKCON fold
In 1998, Malati dd was made a GBC
In various Sampradaya Sun articles over the years, there have been discussions about the role Radhanath Swami played in ISKCON after Kirtanananda's fall from power. It was Radhanath who inherited all Kirtanananda's disciples and assets at Chowpatty. And it was Radhanath who brokered the deal to get the New Vrindaban community reinstated in ISKCON. As part of that deal, a number of personalities were vaulted into positions of power at New Vrindaban – one of them was Malati devi. (See Princes of the Zonal Acarya (Kirtanananda))
At least in part, the connection between Radhanath and Malati unfolded in the State of Ohio, which borders New Vrindaban's home in West Virginia. Some of these connections are mapped out in Part 50 of the Corporate ISKCON series. Both Radhanath (Richard Slavin) and Malati (Melanie L. Nagel) were principals in ISKCON related corporations founded in Ohio. At some point, Malati was given sannyasa initiation by Kirtanananda; that could have taken place in New York, Ohio or West Virginia.
In light of the recent Villager article, it is interesting to consider the timeline of events related to Malati's rise to power as a member of the GBC and in her position at New Vrindaban. What bearing her relationship with Radhanath Swami had on this 'rags to riches' rise up the ISKCON corporate ladder is also of interest.
When considering the connection between Clayton Patterson's recent Villager article about Patrick Geoffrois and Melanie, and ISKCON history in general, we find a few additional points of interest. For example, Geoffrois' name comes up in a Wiki page about the French artist, Michel Bulteau, who contributed to a poetry compilation along with Geoffrois. Bulteau had an interest in, and wrote about Beat Generation poets like Allen Ginsberg.
Bulteau was also an experimental filmmaker, producing a film called Main Line, on which Geoffrois contributed music and camera work. And, Bulteau contributed music for a film entitled Asnaviràm, associated in some way with HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1974).
* [Note: This URL, leading to a 'cloud' repository, only works intermittently. We have the letter on file, available upon request.]
Patrick Geoffrois, Mahogany Brain
