Hinduism has lost most of its practical value. On one end you have the majority of Hindus with little or no understanding of the underlying Vedic philosophy who blindly follow superstitions and who think performing some pooja will solve all their problems. On the other end you have RSS lunatics and the like who have hijacked Hinduism for their own brand of ultranationalism. The people in the middle, the educated secular Hindus who apply, follow, and understand the Vedic principles and stay away from "religious" bullshit, are a small minority.
Hinduism was conceived as more a way of life than a religion; its purpose was to bring order and stability to society through dharma, i.e. Natural Law. Every human being, despite the vast diversity of life, followed the same basic path which consisted of three phases each with its own objective, i.e. artha, kama, and moksa. The application of dharma in all one's actions would allow one to progress through these stages and eventually reach the Supreme Aim of Self-Realization, the knowledge that atman, one's individual self, is indeed the Universal Spirit (brahman). This realization is also called nihsreyasa. A person who has achieved this is thus free of his Natural Duty, his dharma, and is considered a realized man or jivanmukta. This is the goal and purpose of the Vedic tradition.