Smarthavicharam

Smārthavichāram (meaning 'inquiry into the conduct'), was the trial of a Nambudiri woman and fellow male adulterers who were accused of illegitimate sexual relations. If the accused women was found guilty, she and the men found involved with her (known as jāran) were excommunicated from the caste (Bhraṣṭu) and banished. The permission of the Mahārāja (king) was necessary to start a smārthavichāram. The practice is nonexistent today and last reportedly took place in 1918.

There are six stages to a Smarthavicharam

The first stage of this trial procedure is interrogating the 'dāsi', the maid, of the accused female member. If a Nambutiri housewife (antharjanam's) was suspected of sexual misconduct then she was at first placed under restraint, and as a first step, her dāsi, a.k.a. vṛṣali, was questioned. If the dāsi should incriminate her mistress the latter is forthwith segregated and a watch set upon her.

If there is substantial evidence (sangayum thurumbum) on the antharjanam's sexual misdeeds, she is isolated to a special cell. After the woman is isolated, the family-head informs the king about the case. The king then sends four lawyers together with a smārthan (judge) and a Brahmin for conducting the trial.

The third stage involves questioning the antharjanam by the smārthan. During questioning the smārthan sits outside the cell without seeing the accused. This can take up hours or even days depending on the severity of the case and until the woman accepts all allegations and becomes a sāthanam (an inanimate object).

During this period the antharjanam may subject to physical torture if necessary to make her confess. A popular method was to pack the woman in a mat, like a dead body, and roll it from the housetop. At other times, rats, snakes and other poisonous creatures were driven into the cell of the accused.

Once she has accepted all her misdeeds, the smārthan questions the sāthanam face to face to get the names of the jārans (the men involved). She also has to substantiate her accusations by proofs, normally some marks on the private parts of the men, which the smārthan later verifies. The trial would continue until the smārthan is convinced that there are no more jārans.

After this, the king would be informed about the men involved. If the accused deny these allegations, they were subject to sathya-parīkṣa (test of truth) at Sucīndram temple.

In this stage, the saathanam and the guilty men are ceremoniously ostracized and excommunicated.

...
Wikipedia