Before beginning, thanks to Ershad for telling me how to do this.

Ubuntu

Things are easy.

1. Go to system->preferences->ibus preferences

2. Take the ‘input method’ tab.

3. From the drop down menu ‘select an input method’, choose malayalam->swanalekha and then click on ‘add’.

(If Malayalam is not there in the input methods, then sudo apt-get install ibus-m17n m17n-contrib and restart ibus)

4. Open up a text editor, hit ‘ctrl+space’ to change the language and type away like this!

അടിപൊളി!!

Of course, you have to type a bit before you get the hang of it.

Debian

Things are still easy.

1. Install ibus first.

$sudo apt-get install ibus

2. Install the m17n library which holds the indic fonts (includes good old malayalam).

$sudo apt-get install ibus-m17n m17n-contrib

3. The rest of the steps are as in Ubuntu itself. Type away!

മോനെ ദിനേശാ!!

ഹൊപ്പ് ദിസ് വര്‍ക്സ് ഫൊര്‍ യു. —-> “Hope this works for you”.

Cheers!