VARANASI, Aug. 24 -- Uttar Pradesh has invited the Odisha government to build guest houses in Kashi, Mathura and Ayodhya to strengthen cultural and tourism ties between the two states. Odisha deputy chief minister Pravati Parida said Kashi and Odisha share a centuries-old cultural connection. She was speaking at a diaspora meet organised as part of 'Odisha Parv' at the Trade Facilitation Centre in Lalpur on Sunday. Parida visited Namo Ghat to study its riverside tourism facilities and showed keen interest in its development model. She said Odisha would explore similar projects along its major rivers, particularly the Mahanadi, by combining riverfront tourism, public amenities and public participation. UP labour and employment minister Anil Rajbhar invited Odisha to build guest houses in Kashi, Ayodhya and Mathura. He said UP also plans to establish its own guest house in Odisha and will provide all possible support for the project. Rajbhar said the guest houses would increase movement between the two states, strengthen cultural ties and promote religious tourism. Those present included Dr Vijay Ketan Upadhyay, secretary, Department of Odia Language, Literature and Culture; Prateek Hira, chairman, FICCI UP Tourism Committee; Padma Shri Shribhas Chandra Supakar; Prof Gopabandhu Mishra, president, Varanasi Odia Samaj; Dr Amiya Kumar Samal; Dr Swati Sucharita Nanda; Dr Shrikrishna Kumar Agrawal; Prof Pradosh Mishra; Varanasi divisional commissioner S Rajalingam; and Dipankar Mahapatra....