uma igreja (n.), a building used for public Christian worship; a church.

“Don’t you want to go to the main church?” asked our taxi driver, not for the first time.

As he wove our way through village after village in the Goan countryside, he became further confused. He figured that Goa’s UNESCO World Heritage historical sites would surely be more interesting than another parish-style chapel. Outside the Bom Jesus chapel in Nachinola, he was vindicated by a map with two red dots — the first, marked “You Are Here,” was our location. The second, placed over the Basilica of Bom Jesus in the well-trodden Goa Velha, read “You Should Be Here.” Nachinola, it would seem, is not the typical tourist stop.

But before heading south to Goa’s main sites, I wanted to spend some time in the rural northern part of the state. Our guest house, which has just a few rooms, is in a colonial Portuguese style manor with lots of character and colorful patterned tiles. It overlooks a sleepy Goan village, and the rain tip-taps on the window panes of our room. It is the type of place where you could spend ages reading or lying in the grass.

Arriving from Sri Lanka late last night, this morning was the first time seeing Goa in the light. In the monsoon season, as it is now, the region is lush and serene, with rice paddies dotting small country roads. I planned a meandering tour of northern Goa’s humble churches and chapels, which have a distinctly authentic feel that I’m not sure will be replicable at the main archaeological and historical sites.

We began our day at Corjuem Fort, a four-bastioned red brick structure in the Goan hills. Having read via Google Maps reviews that the site was in renovation, it wasn’t promising to find the gate padlocked. Two dogs casually strode through and greeted us. As it turned out, the guard was only on his lunch break. The inner courtyard of the fort is filled with renovation materials, but its upper level is well preserved and offers incredible views of the greenery for miles on end.

The rest of the early afternoon consisted of hopping from church to church. Most were closed, and we gazed at them from the outside. Even on a cloudy day, the ornate architectural style complemented the sun-bleached white look of each chapel. Just looking out the window as we passed schools, small shops, and expanses of open fields was equally mesmerizing.

Taking a bit of time, however brief, to explore a less-traveled part of Goa is worthwhile. In my limited experience, it seems as though fieldwork of this sort is greatly enhanced by beginning with immersion, then following with academic engagement.