A woman from Sydney's Dawoodi Bohra community arranged for genital mutilation procedures on two of her daughters, the New South Wales Supreme Court has heard.

The girls' mother and a woman who allegedly performed the procedures, neither of whom can be named, are standing trial.

Also on trial is senior clergy member Shabbir Vaziri who is accused of being an accessory after the fact.

The jury was told the girls were aged six and seven at the time.

Police started investigating the Dawoodi Bohra community in July 2012 and were issued warrants to secretly record telephone calls and use listening devices.

After learning about the investigation, Vaziri allegedly told members of the community to "tell police they did not believe in or practice genital mutilation".

Both girls were interviewed at their school later in 2012.

Asked about her knowledge of the term Khatna, one of the girls told police, "they give you a little cut down there".

She then described what had happened to her, saying it hurt and she was happy when it was over.

Prosecutor Nanette Williams said: "In an attempt to calm her down [during the procedure], she was told to imagine a place that she liked."

The court heard the girl was then told to shower.

"She remembered being scared of the shower as she thought it was going to hurt," Ms Williams said.

Woman allegedly told daughter 'never tell anyone'

When she was contacted by police to be interviewed, the girls' mother allegedly told her daughter in their car: "We told you my child, this is a secret. Never tell anyone."

The woman accused of carrying out the procedures was allegedly recorded saying in a phone call: "I'm in trouble ... I do not want to go to jail at my age."

But senior counsel Robert Sutherland, appearing for the mother and Vaziri, said what took place was a "ritualistic ceremony" that did not involve any injury.

He said when the girls were examined by a medical expert, "there was no evidence of scarring and the external genitalia appeared normal".

Mr Sutherland said the police investigation began because of suspicions, not allegations.

"This was ultimately much ado about nothing," he said.

The trial is expected to last up to six weeks.